OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the quality of life (QoL) of patients with Chagas disease (CD) and the association between QoL domains and several clinical, socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics of this population. METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study conducted from March 2014 to March 2017 including a total of 361 outpatients followed at Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectious Disease, Brazil. QoL was assessed using the Portuguese shorter version of the original WHO Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). Information about clinical CD presentation, presence of comorbidities, functional class, previous benznidazole treatment, socioeconomic profile and lifestyle was also obtained. RESULTS: Environment and physical domains presented the worst QoL scores, while the social relationship domain presented the highest score. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that variables independently associated with QoL were functional class, sex, clinical presentation of CD, sleep duration, schooling, physical activity level, smoking, income per capita and residents by domicile. CONCLUSIONS: The low socioeconomic status and the physical limitations imposed by the disease presented an important impact on the QoL reduction among CD patients, especially on environment and physical domains. Strategies to improve QoL among CD patients should be tailored and consider many different variables to maximise improvements not only of patients' physical but also of their mental health.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the quality of life (QoL) of patients with Chagas disease (CD) and the association between QoL domains and several clinical, socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics of this population. METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study conducted from March 2014 to March 2017 including a total of 361 outpatients followed at Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectious Disease, Brazil. QoL was assessed using the Portuguese shorter version of the original WHO Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). Information about clinical CD presentation, presence of comorbidities, functional class, previous benznidazole treatment, socioeconomic profile and lifestyle was also obtained. RESULTS: Environment and physical domains presented the worst QoL scores, while the social relationship domain presented the highest score. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that variables independently associated with QoL were functional class, sex, clinical presentation of CD, sleep duration, schooling, physical activity level, smoking, income per capita and residents by domicile. CONCLUSIONS: The low socioeconomic status and the physical limitations imposed by the disease presented an important impact on the QoL reduction among CDpatients, especially on environment and physical domains. Strategies to improve QoL among CDpatients should be tailored and consider many different variables to maximise improvements not only of patients' physical but also of their mental health.
Authors: Rita de Cássia Moreira de Souza; David E Gorla; Marcia Chame; Nicolas Jaramillo; Carlota Monroy; Lileia Diotaiuti Journal: Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz Date: 2022-05-27 Impact factor: 2.747
Authors: Igor Lucas Geraldo Izalino de Almeida; Luciano Fonseca Lemos de Oliveira; Pedro Henrique Scheidt Figueiredo; Rafael Dias de Brito Oliveira; Thayrine Rosa Damasceno; Whesley Tanor Silva; Lucas Frois Fernandes de Oliveira; Matheus Ribeiro Ávila; Vanessa Pereira Lima; Ana Thereza Chaves Lages; Mauro Felippe Felix Mediano; Manoel Otávio Costa Rocha; Henrique Silveira Costa Journal: Rev Soc Bras Med Trop Date: 2022-03-14 Impact factor: 1.581