title: Quality of life (QoL) in relation to disease severity in Brazilian Parkinson's patients as measured using the WHOQOL-BREF.
abstract: This study aimed at evaluating and describing the QoL and its association with the severity of disease among Brazilian Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. In this cross-sectional study 68 PD patients were interviewed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Hoehn-Yahr (HY) scale. Analysis of variance, chi(2), Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests, Spearman and Cronbach reliability coefficients were used to analyze the data. The results indicate: (1) physical capacity was the domain that showed the most deterioration; (2) severity of PD is associated with QoL measured by WHOQOL-BREF; (3) overall QoL, working capacity, activities of daily living (ADL) and self-esteem are affected in both transitional periods in the progression of PD (mild to moderate and moderate to advanced). Satisfaction with general health, pain, energy, positive feelings, personal relationship and satisfaction with home are affected in the first period of transition while mobility, body image, sexual activity and access to information are affected in the second. This study mainly shows specific facets that are affected depending on the specific periods of PD progression, which can help to understand the impact of the disease, the effectiveness of care, and the demand for health care resources.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Physical Activity and Aging, Department of Physical Education, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida 24 A, 1515 Bela Vista, Rio Claro, CEP 13506-900, SP, Brazil. sussuhira@gmail.com
authors.forename: Marcio Sussumu
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hirayama
authors.forename: Sebastião
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gobbi
authors.forename: Lilian Teresa Bucken
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Gobbi
authors.forename: Florindo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stella
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires