Evaluation of post-treatment health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among tuberculosis patients.
BACKGROUND
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures the impact of a disease by assessing the health status of patients.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the HRQoL of tuberculosis (TB) patients one year after treatment completion.


METHODS
Patients registered under the TB control programme from July 2002 to June 2003 in a TB Unit in south India were interviewed one year after successful completion of treatment. Data on HRQoL were collected using the SF-36 questionnaire, which covers physical, mental and social well-being components. Data on economic well-being were also collected. Scores were given for all domains.


RESULTS
Of 436 TB patients interviewed, the mean scores for social, physical, mental and economic well-being were respectively 84, 74, 68 and 62 on a scale of 100. The well-being scores were significantly related to age, sex, education, employment and persistent symptoms. There was a significant association between economic and social well-being.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the HRQoL of TB patients one year after successful completion of treatment under the TB control programme was normal for most of the domains studied and was associated with age, literacy and employment, income, smoking, alcoholism and persistence of symptoms.
Muniyandi
M
M
Tuberculosis Research Centre, Indian Council of Medical Research, Chennai, India.
Rajeswari
R
R
Balasubramanian
R
R
Nirupa
C
C
Gopi
P G
PG
Jaggarajamma
K
K
Sheela
F
F
Narayanan
P R
PR
D004651:Employment; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014376:Tuberculosis