Quality Of Life In Psychological Domain Research Articles

Epstein‐Barr virus antibody titer and its association with the domain scores from the World Health Organization's Quality of Life questionnaire: Findings from Rural Hainan Province, China

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibody titer has recently been used as a biomarker of psychological stress. This is the first study to investigate the association between EBV antibody titer and perceived quality of life (QOL) in Hainan Island, China. Participants from two regions of Hainan Island, recruited into a larger study investigating the health impact of rapid economic development among rural residents, were stratified by age, sex, and region; 15 people were randomly selected from each of the 16 subgroups, to give a total sample size of 240. EBV antibody titer in dried blood spot samples was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The abbreviated version of the World Health Organization's Quality of Life questionnaire was used to gather information on six categories of QOL. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between EBV antibody titer and QOL. After adjusting for the effects of age, sex, region and C-reactive protein concentration, EBV antibody titer was negatively associated with the physical (P = 0.044) and psychological QOL domains (P = 0.039). This study suggests that among individuals living in an environment in the initial stages of economic development EBV antibody titer, a biomarker of psychological stress, is not only associated with the psychological aspects of QOL but is also linked to physical problems.

Quality of sleep and quality of life in higher education students

Introduction Numerous studies exist about the associations between sleep and quality of life (QoL), in samples with diagnosis of sleep disorders (e.g., insomnia, sleep apnea) or other medical conditions (e.g., cancer). However, very few studies have examined community samples. The purpose of the present work was to analyze the associations between subjective sleep quality and several dimensions of QoL in higher education students. A secondary specific aim was to examine whether or not sleep quality would be a significant predictor of QoL after statistically controlling for psychopathological symptoms. Materials and methods A sample of 324 undergraduate and master degree students completed the Portuguese versions of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), WHOQOL-Bref to measure QoL, and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) to measure psychopathological symptoms. Results All PSQI components were significantly associated (at least p .05) with the QoL General Facet, and with the Psychological and Physical QoL domains. As to the Environment QoL domain and the PSQI components, four statistically significant associations emerged; as to the Social Relationships QoL domain and the PSQI components, only two significant associations emerged. The strongest associations found were between the PSQI Component 1-Subjective Sleep Quality, and the Psychological QoL domain (r = −.546, p .0001), followed by the Physical QoL domain (r = −.446, p .0001). Two PSQI components, C1-Subjective Sleep Quality and C7-Daytime Dysfunction, were systematically associated with all WHOQOL-Bref domains and general facet. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that the PSQI components added significant contributions to the general QoL facet, and to the Psychological and Physical QoL domains, after controlling for psychopathological symptoms. Conclusion Our results suggest that in non-clinical samples composed of predominantly healthy and young adults, there are numerous significant associations between several components of sleep quality and different facets of quality of life, and that these associations emerge regardless of psychopathological symptoms. Acknowledgements To the Dep. of Education – Univ. Aveiro, for the support with the printed materials. To the Psychology Master Degree Coordinator, who authorized this study. To Ana R. Salgueiro, Carolina T. Carlos, Joana M. Ribeiro and Raphaelle G. Dischler, for their help in data collection.

The correlation between quality of life, acceptance of illness and health behaviors of advanced age patients

The purpose of this study was to analyze correlations between quality of life (QoL), acceptance of illness (AI), and health behaviors (HB) demonstrated by chronically ill patients of advanced age. The study was comprised of 1974 chronically ill primary care patients (mean age 71.60±7.98 years) recruited from 131 primary care practices. QoL was assessed with the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument Short Form. The patients’ AI with the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS) and the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI) measured four categories of HB: healthy eating habits (HEH), preventive behaviors (PB), positive mental attitudes (PMA) and health practices (HP). The Spearman rank correlation test was used to check correlations between the variables and analysis of multiple regression was used in order to examine the impact of explanatory variables on the response variable. The highest scores were obtained in the Social Relationship Domain of QoL (M=13.68±2.75) and the lowest in the Psychological Domain of QoL (M=12.38±2.66) of the patients. The low AI was noted in 65.68% (1221). Lower level of QoL and AI were observed in patients with a larger number of chronic diseases and higher health care utilization. The lowest HB scores were obtained in the category of PMA (M=3.61±0.73) and HEH (M=3.36±0.84). The AI level correlated strongest with: Physical Domain of QoL (rS=0.49, p<0.0001) and PMA (rS=0.23, p<0.0001). HB correlated strongest with Psychological Domain of QoL (rS=0.33, p<0.0001). Health behavior programs for chronically ill patients of advanced age should stimulate health behavior categories such as PMA and HEH, and raise the AI level. This would result in a higher QoL and, consequently, a lower health care utilization.

Cognitive appraisals and quality of life in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder

In a cross sectional study, we examined the contribution of cognitive appraisals to the quality of life (QOL) in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Thirty one patients with the DSMIV diagnosis of OCD and 30 normal volunteers from community completed the Interpretation of Intrusions Inventory-31 (III-31), the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Patients scored higher than the normal controls on ‘inflated personal responsibility’, ‘thought control’, and ‘importance of thoughts’. Patients' QOL were poorer than that of normal controls. Cognitive appraisals of ‘thought control’ (r=−0.56, p<0.01), ‘importance of thoughts’ (r=−0.49, p<0.01), and ‘inflated responsibility’ (r=−0.62, p<0.01) correlated negatively with the psychological domain of QOL after controlling for the duration of illness and the severity of depressive, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Total QOL correlated negatively with ‘thought control’ and ‘inflated personal responsibility’. Our findings suggest that cognitive appraisals contribute significantly to the poor QOL in patients with OCD. Therefore, modification of beliefs and appraisals may be essential for better QOL in patients with OCD.

Quality of Life in Community-Dwelling Patients With Schizophrenia in China

The aim of this study was to assess Chinese schizophrenia patients' quality of life (QOL) and identify its demographic and clinical correlates. A random sample of 540 community-dwelling schizophrenia patients was interviewed using standardized assessment instruments. The patients' basic sociodemographic and clinical data and QOL were collected. Compared with the general population, patients had significantly lower scores in the physical and psychological QOL domains. Multivariate analyses showed that better social support independently predicted higher QOL in all domains, whereas more severe positive symptoms predicted worse psychological and environmental domains. Overall psychopathology predicted both worse physical and psychological domains; depressive symptoms and being married predicted worse physical and social QOL, respectively. Our results suggest that therapeutic and psychosocial interventions alleviating positive and depressive symptoms and improving poor social support and marriage-related problems in Chinese patients with schizophrenia might be of considerable benefit in improving their QOL.

Influence of habitual physical activity on the symptoms of climacterium/menopause and the quality of life of middle-aged women

Aim:To analyze the influence of the duration of habitual physical activity (PA) on the symptoms of climacterium/menopause and on several domains of the health-related quality of life (QOL) in middle-aged women.Methods:One hundred and four 45- to 59-year-old women were placed into three groups: group A, subjects who maintained PA less than 30 minutes/day; group B, subjects who maintained or began to perform PA 30–60 minutes/day; and group C, subjects who maintained or increased PA to more than 60 minutes/day. Symptoms of menopause, QOL (physical, psychological, and social), and PA were assessed through the Kupperman Menopausal Index, World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version questionnaire, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire, respectively.Results:The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) results, adjusted for age, initial body mass index, schooling years, hormonal replacement therapy, and the number of diseases, indicated that the women who maintained or increased their total habitual PA to more than 60 minutes/day had reduced symptoms of climacterium/menopause (–5.4 ± 0.5; P = 0.001) and improved QOL in the psychological (4.4% ± 0.8%; P = 0.001) and social domains (2.0% ± 0.9%; P = 0.035). ANCOVA revealed a further improvement of approximately 5% in the psychological domain of QOL in group C, who also experienced decreased menopause symptoms (P = 0.001) and lost weight (P = 0.009).Conclusion:The habitual practice of at least moderate-intensity PA for 60 minutes/day has a favorable effect on climacterium/menopause symptoms and on QOL, particularly on its psychological and social domains. The influence of habitual PA at the psychological level seems to be at least partially associated with a decrease in menopause symptoms and/or weight loss.

The Impact of Sleep Quality and Daytime Sleepiness on Global Quality of Life in Community-Dwelling Patients With Heart Failure

Although it is well established that symptom burden in heart failure (HF) often leads to poor health-related quality of life (QOL), the contributions of quality of sleep and daytime sleepiness to the overall perception and satisfaction with life in the HF population have yet to be determined. We thus tested the hypothesis that quality of sleep and daytime sleepiness are significant predictors of QOL as measured by the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) in patients with HF. Included were 88 medically stable patients with echocardiographically documented HF. This cross-sectional study used a correlational design, and data were collected using self-report questionnaires including the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (CPSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and WHOQOL-BREF Taiwan version. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to address the study hypotheses. With the exception of the environmental domain (P = .078), poor sleepers had significantly lower scores in physical (P < .001), psychological (P = .001), and social (P = .040) domains of the WHOQOL-BREF. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that age, CPSQI, perceived health status, and comorbidities significantly predicted the physical QOL (adjusted R2 = 0.59, P < .001). For the psychological QOL, only perceived health status and CPSQI score remained in the regression model (adjusted R2 = 0.28, P = .016). For the environmental QOL, perceived health status and Epworth Sleepiness Scale were the only predictors remaining in the model (adjusted R2 = 0.17, P < .001). The findings from this study add support to the evidence that in medically stable persons with HF, poor sleep independently predicts the overall perception and satisfaction with life, in particular, in the physical and psychological domains of QOL, whereas daytime sleepiness independently predicts the environmental QOL.

Quality of life in adults with congenital heart disease: biopsychosocial determinants and sex-related differences

ObjectivesTo assess the quality of life (QoL) in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) and to explore the sex-related differences and biopsychosocial determinants in an Asian cohort.DesignProspective cross-sectional clinical study.SettingOne...

Lebensqualität und alexithyme Merkmale bei Patienten mit somatoformer Schmerzstörung

Patients with somatoform pain disorders (SPD) frequently display reduced quality of life (QoL) and increased levels of alexithymia. This study investigated the association of QoL and alexithymia in a sample of SPD. Fifty-one patients with SPD (average time since onset: 11.6 years) were assessed in terms of alexithymia (TAS-20), QoL (WHOQOL-BREF), psychological distress and somatisation (SCL-90-R), and depression (MADRS). In SPD patients a significant negative correlation was observed between QoL and alexithymia, particularly the psychological domain of QoL and the TAS-20 total score (r=-.63, p<.001). The TAS-20 subscale "Difficulty Describing Feelings" was revealed to be a significant predictor of the psychological domain of QoL (beta=-.34, p<.01), even after controlling for depression, somatisation and gender. Patients with SPD show a remarkably reduced QoL and alexithymia appears to play a significant role for low QoL. Clinicians need to pay careful attention to alexithymia with regard to diagnosis and treatment planning in SPD patients.

The univariate and bivariate impact of HIV/AIDS on the quality of life: A cross sectional study in the Hubei Province-Central China

This study is aimed to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) for individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Hubei province-central China by using WHOQOL-BREF instrument (Chinese version). One hundred and thirty six respondents (HIV/AIDS individuals) attending out-patient department of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese CDC) were administered a structured questionnaire developed by investigators. QOL was evaluated by using WHOQOL-BREF instrument (Chinese version). The results showed that the mean score of overall QOL on a scale of 0-100 was 25.8. The mean scores in 4 domains of QOL on a scale of 0-100 were 82.9 (social domain), 27.5 (psychological domain), 17.7 (physical domain) and 11.65 (environmental domain). The significant difference of QOL was noted in the score of physical domain between asymptomatic (14.6) and early symptomatic individuals (12) (P=0.014), and between patients with early symptoms (12) and those with AIDS (10.43) (P<0.001). QOL in psychological domain was significantly lower in early symptomatic (12.1) (P<0.05) and AIDS patients (12.4) (P<0.006) than in asymptomatic individuals (14.2). The difference in QOL scores in the psychological domain was significant with respect to the income of patients (P<0.048) and educational status (P<0.037). Significantly better QOL scores in the physical domain (P<0.040) and environmental domain (P<0.017) were noted with respect to the occupation of the patients. Patients with family support had better QOL scores in environmental domain. In our research, QOL for HIV/AIDS individuals was associated with education, occupation, income, family support and clinical categories of the patients. It was concluded that WHOQOL-BREF Chinese version was successfully used in the evaluation of QOL of HIV/AIDS individuals in Chinese population and proved to be a reliable and useful tool.

The effects of exercise interventions on quality of life in clinical and healthy populations; a meta-analysis

The aim of the study was to provide an overview of the effect of exercise interventions on subjective quality of life (QoL) across adult clinical populations and well people, and to systematically investigate the impact of the exercise setting, intensity and type on these outcomes. From a systematic search of six electronic databases, 56 original studies were extracted, reporting on 7937 sick and well people. A meta-analysis was conducted on change in QoL from pre- to post-intervention compared with outcomes from a no-exercise control group, using weighted (by the study's sample size) pooled mean effect sizes and a fixed-effects model. Significant differences in outcome were found when treatment purpose was compared; prevention/promotion (well populations), rehabilitation, or disease management. Three to 6 months post-baseline, a moderate positive effect of exercise interventions was found for overall QoL in rehabilitation patients, but no significant effect for well or disease management groups. However, physical and psychological QoL domains improved significantly relative to controls in well participants. Psychological QoL was significantly poorer relative to controls in the disease management group. This pattern of results persisted over 1 year. With some exceptions, better overall QoL was reported for light intensity exercise undertaken in group settings, with greater improvement in physical QoL following moderate intensity exercise. The implications for future health care practice and research are discussed.

Relationship of Symptoms to Quality of Life in Patients with Gastroparesis

Purpose: Understanding symptom severity and the effects of symptoms on quality of life (QOL) in patients with gastroparesis may provide clinicians useful information to help guide treatment. The aim of this study was to identify specific gastrointestinal symptoms that most severely affect QOL in patients with gastroparesis. Methods: New patients with gastroparesis in 2006 were given the Patient Assessment of Upper Gastrointestinal Symptoms (PAGI-SYM) which evaluates symptom presence and severity using a 6-point Likert scale from 0 (none) to 5 (very severe) and the Patient Assessment of Upper Gastrointestinal Disorders-Quality Of Life (PAGI-QOL) questionnaire which covers five domains (daily activity, diet, psychological, clothing, relationship) and associates higher scores with worsening QOL with responses ranging from scale of 0–5. The PAGI-SYM questionnaire is a 20-item tool, which includes the 9 Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI) questionnaire. Results: During 2006, 53 new patients with gastroparesis were seen and filled out both questionnaires. The average age was 40 years, 42 patients were female (79%), and 17 patients had diabetic gastroparesis (32%). The GCSI score was 26.3 ± 1.2 and correlated with PAGI-QOL score (r = 0.47). The predominant symptom reported by the patients on the PAGI-SYM questionnaire was nausea (23 pts; 43%) followed by vomiting (13 pts; 25%) and abdominal pain (9 pts; 17%). Patients with vomiting as the predominant symptom had the highest (worse) QOL score (3.28 ± 0.25) when compared to nausea (3.01 ± 0.21, P= 0.41) and abdominal pain (2.99 ± 0.44, P= 0.55). Of the five QOL domains, the psychological QOL domain (3.68 ± 0.32) was highest in patients with vomiting as the predominant symptom, whereas the diet QOL domain was the highest in patients with the predominant symptom of nausea (3.61 ± 0.26) or abdominal pain (3.48 ± 0.32). In these patients with gastroparesis, the QOL questions associated with the worst QOL scores were: 1) Avoided certain types of food (4.13 ± 0.03); 2) Concern about what you can and cannot eat (4.11 ± 0.02); and 3) Frustrated about not being able to do what you wanted to do (4.06 ± 0.03). Conclusion: In patients with gastroparesis, although nausea was the most prevalent predominant symptom, vomiting was associated with the worst QOL score. Nausea and abdominal pain affected the diet domain, whereas vomiting affected psychological domain the most. Use of the PAGI-SYM and PAGI-QOL questionnaires helps to understand the impact of symptoms on quality of life in patients with gastroparesis.

Quality of life and psychological morbidity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: body mass index, age and the provision of patient information are significant modifiers

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has clinical features and implications for long-term health that may lead to decreased quality of life (QoL) and psychological morbidity. We studied QoL in women with PCOS, compared the findings with population norms and assessed whether they correlated with reported quality of patient information received. Cross-sectional study. Women with PCOS by National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria, diagnosis confirmed by one endocrinologist. Four questionnaires were mailed: the Short Form-36 (SF-36), the Quality-of-Life Questionnaire for Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOSQ), the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and an assessment of information quality and sources, the Patient Information Questionnaire (PIQ). Questionnaires were sent to 443 women with PCOS from one endocrinologist's database; 203 women aged 15-65 years agreed to participate. To compare with Australian population norms, data from those women aged 18-44 years (n = 173) were used. Of these, 64% were obese, 18% overweight and 18% of normal weight. The demographics, socioeconomic status and untreated biochemistry of the responders and the total patient group were not significantly different. SF-36 scores were significantly lower than the age- and sex-matched Australian population (P < 0.01), including the overweight subset (P < 0.01). Health-related QoL by PCOSQ was similar to other published studies. GHQ-28 identified psychological morbidity in 62.4%, compared with 26.4% in a matched Australian population (P < 0.0001). Body mass index (BMI) was negatively correlated with QoL (P < 0.01). There was a positive association between the psychological domain of QoL and the subjective assessment of the quality of health-related information in general (P < 0.001), for hirsutism (P < 0.01) and for menstrual irregularity (P < 0.05). We have shown impaired QoL and increased prevalence of psychological morbidity in PCOS compared with population norms. The perception of inadequate information about the condition correlated with poorer QoL scores. Improved information delivery may lead to an improvement in QoL and needs to be tested with an intervention study.

Quality of life in newly diagnosed patients with lung cancer in a developing country: is it important?

There are no data regarding quality of life (QoL) assessments in lung cancer in developing countries like India. Quality of life was evaluated in 76 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients by using the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire in Hindi (WHOQoL-Bref) (men 87%). The mean age was 55 years (SD = 10). Cough, dyspnoea, chest pain and haemoptysis were present in 83%, 72%, 66% and 43% of patients respectively. The median duration of symptoms was 5.9 months (range 1-13). Eighty-nine per cent had non-small cell lung cancer. The median pack-years smoked was 23 (range 0.5-88). Most patients (53%) had a Karnofsky's Performance Status (KPS) of 70 and 83% had stage III or IV disease. Quality of life did not correlate with age, gender, presence or duration of symptoms, histological type, stage of disease or degree of smoking. The physical and psychological domains of QoL correlated significantly with the KPS (P = 0.001 and P = 0.01 respectively). Patients with a KPS of 80 had better physical (P < 0.001), psychological (P < 0.01) and social (P < 0.05) QoL than those with a KPS of 70. In conclusion, patients with lung cancer in a developing country like India have an unsatisfactory QoL. The Karnofsky's Performance Scale is a simple and reliable surrogate marker for assessing QoL in these patients. Larger multi-centric studies may help in providing a more comprehensive evaluation of the effect of various demographic and clinical variables on QoL in this setting.

Determinants of subjective quality of life in depressed patients: The role of self-esteem, response styles, and social support

Background We aimed to assess the subjective quality of life (QOL) in depressed patients after discharge from inpatient treatment and to investigate the net impact of self-related constructs (self-esteem, response styles to depressed mood) and of social support on specific subjective QOL domains. Method Four weeks after discharge from inpatient treatment, 89 unipolar depressed patients were assessed with a comprehensive battery of psychopathology and psychosocial measures. Subjective QOL was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF). Analyses included hierarchical regressions. Results Non-remitted patients reported poorer subjective QOL than fully and partially remitted patients regarding physical and psychological health, and overall QOL. After adjusting for demographic and clinical history variables, interviewer-rated severity of depression accounted for 4% to 36% of the variance in individual QOL domain scores. Self-esteem, rumination, distraction and the existence of a partnership added further increments to the explained variance of the psychological QOL domain. Rumination, partnership, and network size of family members providing psychological crisis support also predicted subjective QOL on the social relations domain. Conclusion Our results suggest that self-esteem, response styles to depressed mood, and social support characteristics contribute substantially to the psychological and social domains of subjective QOL in depressed patients. These associations are not attributable to concurrent symptom severity. Therapy with depressed patients should not only focus on symptom reduction but should help the patients to establish and maintain supportive relationships and to enhance self-appreciation and skills to cope with negative mood in order to improve psychological well-being and health-related quality of life.

Quality of Life in Unipolar and Bipolar Depression

In the present investigation, we compared the impact of illness on quality of life (QOL) in adult outpatients with unipolar (N = 89) and bipolar (N = 25) depression. While attending a university hospital in southern Brazil, patients completed the WHO's QOL Instrument-Short Version and the Beck Depression Inventory. After analyses, patients with bipolar depression reported significantly lower scores on the psychological QOL domain (p = .013) than patients with unipolar depression. There were no significant differences between the study groups in terms of social and demographic variables, in the other QOL domains assessed (i.e., physical health, social relationships, and environmental), and in the severity of depressive symptoms. In conclusion, our findings suggest that patients with bipolar and unipolar depressions have different QOL profiles, and that this difference is probably independent of the severity of the mood disturbance and might be related to the higher rates of suicide observed in the bipolar population.

Quality of life and stress response symptoms in long-term and recent spouses of testicular cancer survivors

The aim of this study was to gain insight into the quality of life (QoL) and stress response of female spouses of men cured of testicular cancer in the long-term. Time since treatment completion varied from 0.5 to 23.8 years. Two hundred and fifty nine testicular cancer survivors and their spouses completed the Dutch version of the MOS Short Form (SF)-36 and the Impact of Event Scale. QoL data from a reference group of women were used for comparison. Spouses who had relationship with the testicular cancer survivor before the diagnosis (spouses during testicular cancer) had better functioning scores than the reference group, especially with respect to the physical QoL domains. Spouses who had started a relationship after treatment (spouses after testicular cancer) experienced more problems with psychological QoL domains than spouses during testicular cancer and than the reference group. The stress response of spouses during testicular cancer was related to that of the testicular cancer survivors and to the extent of treatment they had received. Although stress response levels were low, spouses during testicular cancer reported more stress response than the testicular cancer survivors. Time since completion of treatment did not affect QoL or stress response. This study showed that spouses during testicular cancer had a good QoL and little stress response. Functioning of spouses after testicular cancer was poorer with respect to various QoL domains, particularly the psychological measures.

Quality of Life of Parents who have Children With Disabilities

Parents who have children with disabilities are often reported to have physical and psychological distress related to caring for their children, thus affecting their quality of life (QOL). This study explored the QOL among parents who have children with or without disabilities. A total of 147 parents were recruited for the study (71 had children with disabilities and 76 had children without disabilities) using convenience sampling. The World Health Organization Quality of Life Measure Abbreviated version (WHO-QOL BREF [HK]) was used to measure the QOL among the parents (Bonomi, Patrick, Bushnell et al., 2000; Leung, Tay, Cheng et al., 1997). The Wee Functional Independence Measure was used to measure the children's levels of disabilities. Other demographic data such as financial conditions and family background were also recorded. Social relationships and environmental domains of QOL differed significantly between the two groups of parents, but there were no significant differences in physical health and psychological domains of QOL between the two groups. Parental QOL and the disability levels of their children were positively correlated. Parents who have children with more severe disabilities were found to have lower scores in physical, psychological, and environmental domains. Children with severe disabilities are more physically demanding of their parents, who might feel more stress when taking care of them. Parents' physical and psychological well-being might directly affect their children. This study indicates the need for parental support when providing intervention to their children with disabilities.

Demographic factors affecting quality of life of hemodialysispatients - Lahore, Pakistan.

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the demographic factors affecting Quality Of Life (QOL) of hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods: This observational study was conducted at Shalamar Hospital, Lahore. Patients of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and on maintenance HD for more than three months were included during the period March to June 2012. Patient of ESRD not on dialysis and Acute Renal Failure were excluded. One hundred and twenty five patients who fulfilled the criteria were included. Demographic data containing age, sex, residence, socio economic status, education, mode of traveling for dialysis, total time consumed in dialysis were collected by the investigators. QOL index was measured using 26 items, WHO QOL BREF. Results: There were 89(71.2%) male and 36(28.8%) female patients. Environmental domain score was highest (p=0.000) than all other domains in HD Patients. In overall analysis age, marital status and total time consumed in getting HD effect QOL significantly (p=<0.05). In domain wise analysis, male has better QOL in social relationship domain than female. Age has negative relationship with physical health and psychological health domain. QOL of unmarried and literate patients is significantly better (p=<0.05) in physical health domain. Employed patients have better QOL in physical, psychological and social relationship domain (p=<0.05) than unemployed patients. Patients of residence of rural areas have better QOL in physical and environment domain. Financial status of HD patients affect QOL in social domain. Distance covered to reach hospital effect QOL in psychological domain (p=<0.05). Patients traveling in private transport have better QOL in environmental domain (p=<0.05). Total time consumed in getting HD effect social relation in QOL (p=<0.05). According to linear regression model, marital status is positive predictor and unemployment is negative predictor of QOL in physical health domain. Age is negative predictor of QOL in psychological domain, monthly income is positive predictor of QOL in domain. Unemployment is positive predictor of QOL in social relation domain. Monthly income and place of residence is positive predictor of QOL in environment domain. Conclusion: Gender, age, marital status, unemployment, residence of rural area, economical status, distance covered to reach hospital, mode of transport, total time consumed in getting HD, effect QOL in HD patient. Education level is a positive factor for improving QOL of HD patients.