Factors Associated with Reduced Quality of Life in Polio Survivors in Korea.

Yong-Hui Dang,Eun Joo Yang,Soo Jeong Han,Keewon Kim,Soong-Nang Jang,Wan-Ho Kim,Jae-Young Lim,Seung Yeol Lee,Se Hee Jung

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0130448

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess health-related quality of life in polio survivors (PS) compared with that in the general population in Korea. Polio survivors (n = 120) from outpatient clinics at two hospitals, healthy controls (HC, n = 121) and members of the general population with activity limitations (AL, n = 121) recruited through a proportional-allocation, systematic sampling strategy from the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were surveyed with self-rated health-related quality of life (Euro QoL five-dimensions). The proportion of participants who reported problems in mobility, usual activity, and symptoms of anxiety/depression were higher in the PS group compared with the HC and AL groups. There was no significant difference in the self-care dimension across the groups. Polio-specific questionnaire, pain, depression, fatigue, Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) were assessed in the PS group. Those with post-poliomyelitis syndrome had greater problems in mobility, usual activity, and depression/anxiety. Polio survivors, especially those with more pain and fatigue symptoms, and those who did not have access to medical services had poorer health-related quality of life. These findings afford useful information for potential intervention improving quality of life in polio survivors.

Highlights

Quality of life (QoL) is as important to polio survivors as is their expected life span and other survival related issues [1]
We prospectively identified and invited 125 people previously diagnosed with poliomyelitis or poliomyelitis with post-polio sequelae to participate in the study as the polio survivor (PS) group
We set out to compare the healthrelated quality of life (HRQoL) of polio survivors with a sample of the general population and a population with non-polio related activity limitations and to clarify factors that contributed to the HRQoLin polio survivors

Summary

Introduction

Quality of life (QoL) is as important to polio survivors as is their expected life span and other survival related issues [1]. Polio Survivors and Quality of Life same for polio survivors and age-matched controls [5]; there may be some specific issues pertinent only to polio survivors, In Korea, the worst polio epidemic occurred in the 1950s and 1960s, more than 10 years after those in most Western countries. The population of polio survivors in Korea is estimated at about 60,000 people, which is greater than in other Asian countries [6] and more than twice that of Japan [7]. The population of polio survivors in Korea may have different characteristics from those observed in developed countries where previous research has focused [8, 9]. Cross-cultural differences may influence one’s interpretation of the illness and its impact on HRQoL [10,11,12]

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