Evaluation of Health-Related Quality of Life Among Patients with Respiratory Diseases in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: Respiratory diseases have been considered as an important source of morbidity and mortality globally and have considerable implications for the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the patients. There is scant literature on the HRQoL of respiratory disease patients in Pakistan. The objective of this study was to determine HRQoL of the patients with respiratory diseases in Pakistan. Methods: Cross-sectional research was carried out at the Department of Pulmonology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar from January 2024 to June 2024. The sample size consisted of 180 patients aged 18 years and older suffering from pulmonary diseases like COPD, asthma, tuberculosis, pneumonia, bronchiectasis, and interstitial lung diseases by non-probability consecutive sampling technique. Information was gathered by employing a well-structured questionnaire involving sociodemographic and clinical factors along with the assessment of HRQoL by utilizing EuroQol EQ-5D. All data were processed utilizing SPSS software version 26. Descriptive analysis, chi-square test, independent t-test, and ANOVA were utilized, and p-value <0.05 was taken as significant. Results: The predominant demographic profile among the sample included middle-aged respondents (39.4%), males (58.3%), married individuals (80.5%), and those from lower socioeconomic status (55.6%). The most prevalent diseases among the patients suffering from respiratory diseases were chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) (28.8%), tuberculosis (21.1%), and asthma (17.7%). The aspect of pain or discomfort was identified as the most affected HRQoL domain among 52.2% respondents, whereas 18.8% experienced serious problems. The association between HRQoL and age (p=0.001), smoking (p=0.002), and disease type (p=0.001). It is important to note that in general, 62% of participants have poor HRQoL while only 38% have good HRQoL. Conclusion: Respiratory diseases lower the quality of life especially among elderly people, smokers, and those with chronic respiratory diseases. A comprehensive approach to managing respiratory diseases should be adopted, and it includes early detection, quitting smoking, pulmonary rehabilitation, and psychological counseling.