title: Health-related quality of life in community-dwelling men with pneumoconiosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There have been few data on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with pneumoconiosis. HRQOL is an important aspect of daily living in patients with industrial diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the HRQOL and factors that contribute to the impairment of HRQOL in patients with pneumoconiosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  297 patients with pneumoconiosis were recruited from a community-based case registry. The HRQOL was measured with the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Pulmonary function, comorbidity and psychosocial variables were also assessed. Patients' mood state was evaluated with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean SGRQ symptom, activity, impact and total scores were 38.0 +/- 19.3, 44.5 +/- 21.9, 34.2 +/- 17.9 and 39.4 +/- 17.4, respectively. These figures were lower than those reported in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who attended chest clinics. The GDS score (r = 0.38), forced expiratory volume in 1 s predicted (FEV(1)% predicted;r = -0.33) and comorbidity (r = 0.21) were the most important predictors of the HRQOL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Besides lung functions, chest clinicians should consider the impact of mood symptoms and comorbidity on the HRQOL in the management of patients with pneumoconiosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
authors.forename: Wai Kwong
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lum
authors.forename: Gabor S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ungvari
authors.forename: Helen F K
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012042:Registries; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology