Cross-sectional survey between schistosomiasis liver fibrosis and health-related quality of life among agricultural workers

Abstract

Objective: To assess the health-related quality of life in the agricultural workers with schistosomiasis liver fibrosis using Europe Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) . Methods: From January to December 2019, a cross sectional study was applied to 3507 agricultural workers at a township, Kaihua County, Zhejiang Province, of which 424 agricultural workers with schistosomiasis liver fibrosis as objective group and of which 3083 agricultural workers without schistosomiasis liver fibrosis as the control group whom were respectively evaluated by the EQ-5D scale. At the same time, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and platelet (PLT) ratio index (APRI) was calculated, and B-type ultrasound was used to test the degree of liver fibrosis among two groups. Results: There were 424 patients in the objective group, aged (66.29±7.21) years, and 3083 person in the control group, aged (65.98±14.81) years. The APRI scores between the control group and the objective group were (0.74±0.51) points and (1.04±0.53) points, respectively (P<0.01) . The total score of 5 items of EQ-5D was (6.86±2.21) points and (7.88±2.71) points, respectively, in the objective group had 375 cases of liver fibrosis grade I and 49 cases of liver fibrosis grade Ⅱ, which were significantly higher than that of the control group[ (5.50±1.17) points] (P<0.01) . Among the respondents, EQ-VAS score was negative correlated with EQ-5D scores (r=-0.616, P<0.01) . Conclusion: The health-related quality of life of agricultural workers with schistosomiasis liver fibrosis at a township, Quzhou City Kaihua County decreased compared with the control group.