Reduced quality of life in veterans at risk for drug-related problems.
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.
Okano
G J
GJ
Strategic Outcomes Services of CareScience, Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA. gokano@carescience.com
Malone
D C
DC
Billups
S J
SJ
Carter
B L
BL
Sintek
C D
CD
Covey
D
D
Mason
B
B
Jue
S
S
Carmichael
J
J
Guthrie
K
K
Dombrowski
R
R
Geraets
D R
DR
Amato
M G
MG
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