Quality of life in asthma: A comparison of community and hospital asthma patients

Adams, R Wakefield, M Wilson, D Parsons, J Campbell, D Smith, B Ruffin, R

R. Adams et al., Quality of life in asthma: A comparison of community and hospital asthma patients, J ASTHMA, 38(3), 2001, pp. 205-214

33

INGLESE

Article

Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems

JOURNAL OF ASTHMA

0277-0903 → ACNP

38

3

2001

205 - 214

ISI

0277-0903(2001)38:3<205:QOLIAA>2.0.ZU;2-X

This study compares the quality of life of a community sample of people wit h asthma in South Australia, using population norms, people suffering from other chronic diseases, and a sample of asthma patients from two hospital c linics. A representative population survey was performed by trained intervi ewers in spring 1995 of 3001 respondents aged greater than or equal to 15 y ears. A physician's diagnosis of current asthma was reported by 299 (9.9%). The hospital clinic sample had a physician's diagnosis and lung function E vidence of asthma (n = 293). All completed the SF-36 health survey. Standar dized SF-36 scores, adjusted for age, sex, and social class, were significa ntly lower for respondents with asthma, compared with population norms, acr oss all subscales of the SF-36 (p < 0.05). Physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores were not significantly different in people in the community sample with asthma from scores in people with d iabetes and arthritis. PCS and MCS scores did not differ for those with sim ilar symptom frequency in the community and hospital asthma samples, except that hospital patients with frequent symptoms had significantly lower MCS scores (p < 0.01). Asthma has a major impact on the health-related quality of life in the community, comparable to other chronic diseases. The SF-36pe rforms uniformly in asthma in different situations.