Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health challenge in India with significant economic burden and healthcare utilization and contributes to patients' daily life limitations. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) reflects the health- and disease-related aspects of QoL. Limited studies have examined this dimension in healthcare settings. We explored the HRQoL among patients with COPD attending a tertiary care facility and the factors (enablers and constraints) influencing it.
Materials and methods: A parallel mixed-method study design was adopted to undertake the study. Data were collected from 110 patients with COPD attending the outpatient department of the tertiary care hospital at Bhubaneswar, Odisha, during June and July 2014. The translated and pretested version of St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was used. In addition, in-depth interviews were held with 11 patients.
Results: The overall HRQoL was significantly lower in females and patients from rural area. It declined with increasing age and was worst in patients age 70 years or above. Patients having two or more comorbid conditions had the poorest HRQoL. Reason for not using inhalers was mentioned to be perceived harm due to prolonged use. Family support and better financial condition were enablers while easy accessibility of healthcare facilities helped in early interventions.
Conclusion: COPD has considerable negative impact on the QoL with advancing age and is worse among the geriatric age group population. Acute exacerbations impair HRQoL. The degree of severity of COPD could be determined by SGRQ which reflects the impairment of their HRQoL.
Keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; St. George Respiratory Questionnaire; health-related quality of life; tertiary care hospital.