title: [Comparative study of quality of life in patients with psoriasis from Lithuania and Ukraine].
abstract: Lithuania and Ukraine have different models of national health care. We decided to determine whether difference in health care systems influence quality of life (QoL) of psoriasis patients from Lithuania and Ukraine. Lithuanian and Ukrainian versions of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Skindex-16 were used. 157 Lithuanian and 136 Ukrainian in-patients with chronic plaque psoriasis were invited to complete questionnaires. The distribution of each separate item according its influence on QoL was the same for Lithuanian and Ukrainian psoriatic patients. Lithuanian patients had higher overall mean score for the DLQI (P<0.05) and Skindex-16 (P<0.001). Significantly higher number of Ukrainian psoriatic patients showed no or small effect on their life (P<0.001) and significantly higher number of Lithuanian psoriatic patients had very large or extremely large effect on their life according to the DLQI (P<0.05). The number of psoriatic patients with a moderate effect on their life according to the DLQI did not differ significantly between patients from both countries. We found almost equal distribution of QoL domains assessed by Lithuanian and Ukrainian psoriatic patients. Differences in QoL assessment by Lithuanian and Ukrainian psoriatic patients may be attributed to peculiarities of health care systems and cross-cultural inequivalence.
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Chernyshov
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bylaĭte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014455:Ukraine / Q000453:epidemiology