Quality of Life among Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients under Treatment in Eastern Taiwan

Abstract

Objectives: We evaluate the quality of life (QOL) among tuberculosis (TB) patients during different treatment periods. Methods: We conducted a population based cohort study in Eastern Taiwan. The short version of the World Health Organization quality of life (WHOQOL) questionnaire was administered to TB patients under treatment at 3 periods: during an initial treatment period, at a 2-month treatment period, and after a 6-month treatment period. Results: 140 TB patients were interviewed after approval by institutional review boards and interviewee informed consents. The average age of the patients was 48.9 years (SD=18.9 years) and more than half of them were men. Physical domain scores decreased significantly from the initial treatment to the 2-month anti-TB treatment (12.517±2.832, 11.667±3.179, p＜.001), and then increased after a 6-month treatment (12.691±2.903). Social domain scores also significantly decreased from the initial treatment to the 2-month anti-TB treatment (13.618±2.685, 12.899±2.953, p＜.05), and then increased after 6 months of treatment (13.900±2.552).While controlling probable factors affecting the 4 domain scores related to QOL, drugs related hepatitis reduced physical (β=2.3700, p＜.001), psychological (β=2.633, p＜.001), social (β=4.135, p＜.001), and environmental domain scores (β=3.449, p＜.001) and blurred vision significantly reduced physical (β=2.290, p＜.001), psychological (β=2.127, p＜.001), social (β=1.075, p＜.05), and environmental domain scores (β=1.587, p＜.01). Physical domain scores significantly decreased as age increased per 10-year (β=0.39, p＜.01). The patients employed exhibited significantly higher scores of physical, social, and environmental domains compared than those who were unemployed (β=0.959, p＜.05, β=0.815, p＜.05, and β=0.852, p＜.05 respectively). The patients with a higher income showed fewer scores of psychological domain (β=2.029, p＜.01) compared than those who having a lower income. Conclusions: TB affected individual health and QOL, although patients underwent effective treatment. Healthcare workers should be concerned regarding the adverse reactions of anti-TB drugs.