Evaluation of Chinese People Quality of Life Who Suffer From Hematologic Diseases

Now the medical model is transformed from simple biomedicine model to biomedical- psychological-social model and the clinical work also should pay more attention to the patients quality of life(QOL). To study physical function and health-related quality of life in Chinese people with hematologic diseases, we interviewed 64 patients in hematological department of Shengjing hospital. We used medical outcomes study 36-item short-form health survey(SF□ 36) to investigate hematologic patients' QOL and the influencing factors.

All the data was collected between November 2009 to March 2010, after informed consent was obtained from all participants. We selected 64 patients who were interviewed face to face. They all over 14 years old, 39 males(60.9%) with a mean(SD) age of 43.23(16.71) years. They all suffer from hematologic disease and we listed 14 complications: fatigue, palpitation, insomnia, frequent micturition, anorexia, osteoporosis, night sweat, pain, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, cough, dyspnea and hemoptysis. The SF-36 consists of 36 items which were divided into eight different dimensions of health: physical function(PF), role limitations related to physical problems(RP), role limitations related to emotional problems (RE), social functioning (SF), mental health (MH), vitality (VT), bodily pain(BP) and general health (GH). The health concepts are described by scores ranging from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health. Physical component (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores are calculated from the 8 domains. Physical function was assessed querying limitations in 6 ADL including bathing, dressing, eating, transferring to and from chair, walking, and using the toilet. Each ADL limitation was categorized as any versus no limitation (dichotomous), and total ADL limitations ranging 0–6, categorized into “no”: 0 ADL, “moderate”: 1–2ADL, or “severe limitations”: ≥ 3ADL. As the total ADL can be divide into three degrees: first level is normal fuction: <16; second level is moderate limitations: 16–22; severe limitations of function: >or=22.

The quality of life is remarkably lower than the normal people in all the aspects in China. The single factor analysis shows age, employment, education, complications and ADL degree have great effect on patients' quality of life. To exclude the interaction of these factors, further multivariable linear regressions indicate the main factors are age, education, complications and ADL degree. That means the above four factors are the independent factors which influence the hematologic patients in China.

This study found the QOL among hematologic patients was much lower than that among the Chinese general population in every dimension. Therefore, hematologic patients should be given more help to improve their QOL. We also try to find the factors such as gender, age, education, diseases, act influence the QOL. We hope to find a way to improve the QOL of hematologic patients. QOL is people's goal, expectation, standard and the life experiences; it is synthetic indictors to evaluate the burden of diseases. In this study we found age was inversely associated with PF. Educational level had different influence in patients social function and body pain. The patients who had lower educational level is better in SF and BP dimensions. Job status was found to be influence factor for RP. This may be because the patients who at work suffer much more pressure in daily life. Disease is also an important thing which can influence the patients' QOL. Through our investigation we found that activity of daily living is one of the important factors to influence the hematologic patients' QOL. On multivariable linear regressions analysis age, education, complications and ADL all retained an independent association with overall QOL. The hematologic diseases damage their QOL much stronger than others. All above status tell us that hematologic diseases have strong influence to patients' life quality. We should consider about the above four factors and pay more attention to them in order to improve patients' QOL.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.