Abstract
Purpose: :
to compare the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of patients with visual impairments with the HRQoL of the general Dutch population and of patients with a variety of other chronic disabilities.
Methods: :
HRQoL was assessed using the EuroQol EQ–5D by a face–to–face interview. The EQ–5D dimension prevalences were compared with the corresponding scores measured in a nation–wide population based survey and with in literature reported scores measured in patients with a chronic condition (chronic fatigue syndrome, COPD, coronary heart disease, depression, diabetes mellitus type I, diabetes mellitus type II, hearing impairments, multiple sclerosis, severe mental illness, stroke or trauma injuries).
Results: :
EuroQol 5D questionnaires were completed for 129 low vision patients. The proportion of patients with problems in our low vision population was higher than the proportions in the Dutch healthy reference population on all dimensions except from the pain/discomfort dimension. Patients with CFS and stroke patients reported more problems on every dimension of the EQ–5D than visually impaired patients.
Conclusions: :
Visual impairments have a substantial impact on quality of life compared with a healthy condition. Visual impairment seems to have a more negative influence on the HRQoL than diabetes type II, coronary syndrome and hearing impairments, but less than stroke, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, major depressive disorder and severe mental illness.
Keywords: quality of life • low vision • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: outcomes/complications