Quality of life assessment in chronic viral hepatitis

Abstract

Chronic viral hepatitis has a significant impact on morbidity, quality of life and mortality and is characterized by a growing economic and social burden in the context of disability of the population and an increase in life expectancy. Chronic viral hepatitis can significantly worsen health-related quality of life indicators (HRQoL), which are a reflection of the influence of the disease and therapy on the physical and emotional components of the patient's health, especially in patients with progressive liver disease and/or active viral activity. To assess the quality of life related to health, you can use general tools and tools for specific diseases. Common tools available in the scientific literature include the Short Form 36 questionnaire (SF-36) and the Euroqol five-point questionnaire (EQ-5D). However, since general instruments cannot always detect the subtle effects of a particular condition on the quality of life, the use of special instruments is of great value, due to their ability to clinically characterize the quality of life in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. The use of recently developed special tools for assessing the quality of life will greatly assist in the verification of preventive and therapeutic interventions in this area. One of the priorities of any measures for the prevention and treatment of chronic viral hepatitis is to improve the quality of life in this category of patients.