The Relationships of Illness Intrusiveness and Quality of Life in Chronic Liver Disease Patients

Son, Haeng Mi

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was performed to identify the illness intrusiveness, quality of life, and their relationships in patients with chronic liver disease. METHOD: Data was collected using scales of illness intrusiveness developed by Devins et al and Korean health related quality of life (KoQoLS) developed by Shim et al to measure the illness intrusiveness and quality of life from 141 chronic liver disease patients. RESULT: The total mean score of illness intrusiveness was 38.85+/-18.45. The domain of illness intrusiveness which showed the highest mean score was health (4.60+/-2.02), and the lowest mean score domain was relationship with spouse (2.04+/-1.69). The subcategory of KoQoLS which showed the highest mean score was bodily pain (6.96+/-2.98), and the lowest mean score subcategory was vitality (2.75+/-1.20). There were negative relationships between illness intrusiveness and KoQoLS in all subcategories. Abovel all, Illness intrusiveness had the strongest negative relationship with role limitation (r=-0.641) among the KoQoLS subcategories.
CONCLUSION
Because the illness intrusiveness had negative influence on the quality of life in patients with chronic liver disease, further research will need to specify detailed illness intrusiveness and to explore influencing factors on quality of life in them.