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Quality of life and burden of morbidity in primary care users with multimorbidity

Peters, M., Kelly, L., Potter, C.M., Jenkinson, C., Gibbons, E., Forder, J., Fitzpatrick, R. (2018) Quality of life and burden of morbidity in primary care users with multimorbidity. Patient Related Outcome Measures, 9 . pp. 103-113. ISSN 1179-271X. (doi:10.2147/PROM.S148358) (KAR id:88508)

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life, number of diseases and burden of morbidity of multimorbid primary care users and whether a simple disease count or a multimorbidity burden score is more predictive of quality of life. Patients and methods: Primary care patients with at least 1 of 11 specified chronic conditions were invited to participate in a postal survey. Participants completed the Disease Burden Impact Scale (DBIS) questionnaire, the five dimension-five level Euro-Qol (EQ-5D-5L) and standard demographics questions. The DBIS asks participants to self-report chronic conditions and to rate the impact of each condition. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were used to determine quality of life, count of diseases and burden of morbidity. Multiple linear regression analyses determined whether disease count or the DBIS, adjusted for demographics, was more predictive of the EQ-5D-5L scores. Results: Thirty-one percent (n=917) responded, from which 69 were excluded as they reported no or only one condition, leaving 848 (92%) in the analysis. Slightly more women (50.9%) participated; the mean age was 67.0 (SD 13.9) and the mean number of conditions was 6.5 (SD 3.49). The mean scores were: DBIS 15.5 (SD 12.00; score range 0–140, with higher scores indicating higher multimorbidity burden), EQ-5D-5L score 0.69 (SD 0.28; score range −0.28 [a state worse than death] to 1 [best possible health state]) and EQ-5D Visual Analog Scale (EQ-VAS) 65.44 (SD 23.66; score range 0–100 with higher scores meaning better health). The model using the DBIS score was more predictive of the EQ-5D-5L score and EQ-VAS than the model using the disease count (R2adj=0.53 using DBIS and R2adj=0.42 using disease count for EQ-5D-5L score, and R2adj=0.44 using DBIS versus R2adj=0.34 using disease count for EQ-VAS). All models were statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: The DBIS is a useful measure for assessing multimorbidity from the perspective of primary care users in particular, as it is more predictive of health outcomes than a simple count of conditions.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.2147/PROM.S148358
Uncontrolled keywords: multimorbidity, quality of life, chronic disease, disease burden, patient-reported outcomes
Subjects: H Social Sciences
H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research > Personal Social Services Research Unit
Depositing User: Faye Beesley
Date Deposited: 02 Jun 2021 14:44 UTC
Last Modified: 04 Mar 2024 19:27 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/88508 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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