Allergy and health-related quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
We asked patients with allergies to complete the SF-36 Health Survey, a health-related quality-of-life (QOL) measure, to determine the impact of allergy on QOL.


METHODS
In total, 377 adults-140 men (37%) and 237 women (63%)-seen in a tertiary care private neurotologic practice allergy clinic completed the questionnaire before beginning immunotherapy and dietary management. One hundred patients completed both initial and 1-year follow-up questionnaires. The SF-36 measures 8 health concepts ranging from physical to mental health, and scale scores range from 0 to 100.


RESULTS
Initial mean scores ranged from a high of 79.1 for the physical functioning scale to a low of 47.2 for the vitality scale, lower (poorer) on all scales than norms for the general US population. Significant improvement occurred from initial to follow-up on all scales. The largest improvements were in role functioning-physical, role functioning-emotional, and social functioning.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that allergy symptoms can affect QOL and that treatment with specific immunotherapy and/or dietary management may lead to measurable improvements.


CONCLUSIONS
The significant impact of allergy must be recognized, and treatment should be offered. The SF-36 can be used to evaluate treatment outcome.
Derebery
M J
MJ
House Ear Clinic and House Ear Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Berliner
K I
KI
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires