title: A cross-sectional assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among hypertensive patients in Pakistan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) profile of hypertensive population in Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken with a cohort of 385 hypertensive patients attending two public hospitals in Quetta city, Pakistan. The EuroQoL EQ-5D scale was used for the assessment of HRQoL. EQ-5D is a standardized instrument for use as a measure of health outcome and is used in the clinical and economic evaluation of health care as well as population health surveys. The HRQoL was scored using values derived from the UK general population survey. P ≤ 0.05 was taken as significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and sixty-five (68.85%) respondents were men with 3.01 ± 0.939 years of history of hypertension. Majority (n = 186, 48.3%) were categorized in age group of 28-37 years with mean age of 39.02 ± 6.596. Education, income and locality had significant relation with HRQoL score. HRQoL was measured poor in our study patients (0.4674 ± 0.2844).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypertension has an adverse effect on patients' well-being and HRQoL. Results from this study could be useful in clinical practice, particularly in early treatment of hypertension, at point where improving HRQoL is still possible.
authors.affiliation: *PhD Candidate, Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia, †Associate Professor, Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia and ‡Senior Lecturer, Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Fahad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saleem
authors.forename: Mohamed Azmi
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hassali
authors.forename: Asrul Akmal
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shafie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires