Psychosocial factors as predictors of quality of life in chronic portuguese patients

Estela Vilhena,Luísa Pedro,Helena Cardoso,Denisa Mendonça,José Pais-Ribeiro,Isabel Silva,António da Silva,Rute F Meneses

doi:10.1186/1477-7525-12-3

Abstract

BackgroundChronic illnesses are diseases of long duration and generally of slow progression. They cause significant quality of life impairment. The aim of this study was to analyse psychosocial predictors of quality of life and of subjective well-being in chronic Portuguese patients.MethodsChronic disease patients (n = 774) were recruited from central Portuguese Hospitals. Participants completed self-reported questionnaires assessing socio-demographic, clinical, psychosocial and outcome variables: quality of life (HRQL) and subjective well-being (SWB). MANCOVA analyses were used to test psychosocial factors as determinants of HRQL and SWB.ResultsAfter controlling for socio-demographic and clinical variables, results showed that dispositional optimism, positive affect, spirituality, social support and treatment adherence are significant predictors of HRQL and SWB. Similar predictors of quality of life, such as positive affect, treatment adherence and spirituality, were found for subgroups of disease classified by medical condition.ConclusionsThe work identifies psychosocial factors associated with quality of life. The predictors for the entire group of different chronic diseases are similar to the ones found in different chronic disease subgroups: positive affect, social support, treatment adherence and spirituality. Patients with more positive affect, additional social support, an adequate treatment adherence and a feel-good spirituality, felt better with the disease conditions and consequently had a better quality of life. This study contributes to understanding and improving the processes associated with quality of life, which is relevant for health care providers and chronic diseases support.

Highlights

Chronic illnesses are diseases of long duration and generally of slow progression
The findings of this study suggest that dispositional optimism associated with general and subjective well-being (SWB) and exerts a statistically significant positive effect in mental health
We found that the three subgroups had similar psychosocial predictors of Health-related quality of life (HRQL)

Summary

Introduction

Chronic illnesses are diseases of long duration and generally of slow progression. They cause significant quality of life impairment. Chronic diseases include heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, obesity, and others They affect everyday life and require adjustment on multiple life domains: adjustment is defined as a Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is a construct reflecting the impact of health on overall well-being [4]. The World Health Organization (WHO) has further identified physical health, psychological state, level of independence, social relationships and relationship to salient features of the environment as core dimensions in determining life quality (WHOQOL Group 1993). It goes beyond direct measures of population health, life expectancy and causes of death, and focuses on the impact health status has on quality of life. A related concept of HRQL is well-being, which assesses the positive aspects of a person’s life, such as positive emotions and life satisfaction [5]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion