Quality of life in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis: correlation between QUALEFFO 41 and SF-36.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate quality of life (QoL) in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis, correlating the QUALEFFO 41 with the short-form health survey 36 (SF-36) and evaluated some factors that can influenced the QoL of women with osteoporosis.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted in 220 postmenopausal women (ages ranging from 55 to 80 years). Of the total number, 110 women had osteoporosis and 110 women did not have osteoporosis and these women were age-matched (+/-3 years). Two questionnaires were administered to all subjects for evaluation of QoL: the quality of life questionnaire of the European foundation for Osteoporosis 41 (QUALEFFO 41) and the short-form health survey 36 (SF-36). For data analysis, a significance level of 5% was set (p<0.05).


RESULTS
Clinical characteristics between the groups were similar, with statistically significant differences only in body mass index (BMI), race, school education, age at menopause and use of hormone therapy (HT) (p<0.001). Women with osteoporosis had a worse QoL both in the QUALEFFO 41 and in the SF-36, in all domains studied. Data was adjusted for BMI, race, school education and use of HT (p<0.001). There was a significant correlation between all domains in the QUALEFFO 41 questionnaire and their corresponding domains in the SF-36 (p<0.001). The only factors related to worse QoL were BMI>25 and sedentary lifestyle. In contrast, paid work was associated with a better QoL (CI=95%).


CONCLUSIONS
Women with osteoporosis had an impaired QoL, especially relating to the physical, psychological and social aspects. The factors associated with QoL were obesity, sedentary lifestyle and paid work.
de Oliveira Ferreira
Néville
N
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) Medical School, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
Arthuso
Michael
M
da Silva
Raimunda
R
Pedro
Adriana Orcesi
AO
Pinto Neto
Aarão Mendes
AM
Costa-Paiva
Lucia
L
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support