Leg ulceration and perceived health: a population based case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify the effect of leg ulceration on health-related quality of life and to estimate a health state value for leg ulceration.


METHODS
Population based case-control study.


METHODS
Two New Zealand health districts (population 540,468 people).


METHODS
241 people with a leg ulcer of any aetiology, and 224 controls randomly selected from the electoral roll using stratified sampling.


METHODS
health-related quality of life as measured by the eight domains of the Short Form 36 question Health Survey, adjusted for age, sex and confounding co-morbidities; the physical component summary and mental component summary scores of the Short Form 36 question Health Survey standardised for age and sex; preference-based health state value derived from the Short Form 36 question Health Survey.


RESULTS
Completed Short Form 36 question Health Survey questionnaires were available for 230 cases (95%) and 218 controls (97%). Cases reported significantly lower mean scores than controls across all eight domains of the Short Form 36 question Health Survey (P < 0.0005). Mean domain scores for cases were also significantly lower than population norms. The mean physical component summary score for cases and controls was 45.2 versus 50.1 (P < 0.0001) and the mean mental component summary score was 48.1 for cases versus 51 for controls (P < 0.0001). The mean health state values (adjusted for age and sex) were 0.80 for cases and 0.89 for controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Leg ulcers reduce quality of life to a similar extent as other common chronic conditions, such as arthritis and diabetes.
Jull
Andrew
A
Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland. a.jull@ctru.auckland.ac.nz
Walker
Natalie
N
Hackett
Maree
M
Jones
Mark
M
Rodgers
Anthony
A
Birchall
Nicholas
N
Norton
Robyn
R
MacMahon
Stephen
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires