The perceptions of disease and its symptoms compared by gender among patients with AF and their quality of life

Abstract

Abstract Background Patients' atrial fibrillation (AF) symptoms can vary by gender, and their quality of life (QOL) is affected by their disease perceptions should be considered. Purpose This study assessed patients with AF about their perceptions of the disease and its symptoms. Participants' symptom conditions, AF and symptom perception, and QOL were compared based on their genders. In addition, we accessed the prediction factors of QOL. Methods We included cases of having been diagnosed with AF from the cardiology department of a medical centre. Research tools mainly included AF symptoms and conditions, perceptions of AF and its symptoms (modified from AF Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised, AF IPQ-R), and QOL (Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-life, AFEQT). A two-tailed test was adopted, with 0.05 being statistically significant. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyze predictive factors for QOL. Results The 110 cases included 71 men (64.5%) and 39 women (35.5%). They averaged 64.0±0.8 (33-87) years old. Regarding the negative perception of AF and its symptoms, in 3 items, women scored higher than men did (p<0.05): "AF is very unpredictable" (3.85±0.78，3.47±1.06; t=2.11), "When I think about my AF I get upset" (2.95±1.15，2.74±0.91，t=2.24) and "My AF makes me feel frustrated" (2.74±1.07，2.23±0.76，t=2.65). Regarding QOL, men scored poor QOL than women did in 2 items (p=0.03): "difficulty in walking briskly" (2.69±1.68, 3.47±1.91, t=2.21) and "difficulty in walking briskly uphill or carrying groceries or other items, up a flight of stairs without stopping" (3.35±1.84，4.18±2.01，t=2.18). QOL had five significant predictive factors; their total variance explained was 63% (Table 1). The item with the most vital explanatory factor was "total score of consequences due to AF", followed by "total score of emotional representations due to AF", "total number of symptoms", "taking Amiodarone", and "total score of treatment control of AF". Conclusions When patients were compared based on gender, women were more than men in the negative perceptions of AF as unpredictable, which frustrated them. Men were poor QOL related to more physical constraints. Regarding predictive factors for QOL, patients who strongly felt the consequences caused by AF, had negative emotional representations, had a negative sense of treatment control, perceived more symptoms, and took Amiodarone had lower QOL. The health provider should pay more attention to the gender differences and influencing factors of QOL and consider these individual and essential factors in health care.