Health Related Quality of Life among patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease at a tertiary care teaching hospital in southern India

Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the major public health problems worldwide and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in India. This study was undertaken to assess the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), and the factors affecting it among patients diagnosed with COPD and to study their healthcare seeking behavior towards COPD. Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted among 93 patients aged 25–80 years, diagnosed with COPD based on Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria at a tertiary care hospital in southern India. St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire-COPD (SGRQ-C) was used to assess their HRQoL. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 15.0 and the results are expressed in frequencies and proportions. Results: Most of the participants presented initially with cough (67.7%) and breathlessness (62.4%). About half of them (54.8%) suffered from COPD for less than five years and 76.3% of them had less than five recurrent visits, with an average interval of <6 months. The median total SGRQ score was 57.73 (Interquartile range: 42.88–68.61). Chest pain (p < 0.001) and dyspnea at admission (p < 0.001) in the current visit were significantly associated with total SGRQ score. Conclusion: A substantial number of patients with COPD had poor HRQoL. Presence of chest pain and dyspnea at the time of survey were found to be having association with low HRQoL. Therefore, creating awareness about COPD in the community and sensitizing physicians towards its effects on HRQoL is the need of the hour.

Keywords

• Pulmonary disease
• Quality of life
• Good health and well-being
• Health seeking behavior
• SGRQ-C