title: Reduced quality of life in veterans at risk for drug-related problems.
abstract: The relationships between drug therapy and health-related quality of life in 1054 patients who received care from Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers (VAMCs) were assessed. Patients at high risk for drug-related problems were enrolled into a pharmaceutical care study at nine VAMCs. On enrollment, the short form (SF)-36 was completed and medical records were examined for evidence of coexisting illness. Drug therapy in the year before enrollment was analyzed in relation to SF-36 scores. Mean +/- SD SF-36 scores ranged from 37.99+/-41.70 for role physical to 70.78+/-18.97 for mental health domains, with all domain scores significantly below age-adjusted national norms (p<0.05). Patients taking a drug that required therapeutic monitoring had significantly lower SF-36 scores (p=0.0001 to p=0.0033) across all domains except for bodily pain and mental health, compared with patients not taking these agents.
authors.affiliation: Strategic Outcomes Services of CareScience, Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA. gokano@carescience.com
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Okano
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Malone
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Billups
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Sintek
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Covey
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jue
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carmichael
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Guthrie
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dombrowski
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Geraets
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Amato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs