Factors associated with health-related quality of life among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Manila, the Philippines

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients has not been investigated in the Philippines. This study aimed to describe HRQOL among PTB patients and to determine factors that are associated with HRQOL.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted at 10 public health centers and 2 non-government organization clinics in District I, Tondo, Manila. Face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire including Short Form-8, Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire, and Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea scale were performed with 561 PTB patients from September to November 2012.

HRQOL among PTB patients was generally impaired. Factors associated with lower physical component summary were exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) (P = 0.038), positive sputum smear result (P = 0.027), not working (P = 0.038), lower education level (P < 0.01), number of symptoms (P < 0.01), number of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) (P < 0.01), higher score on the MRC dyspnea scale (P < 0.01), and low perceived social support (P = 0.027). Lower body mass index (P = 0.016), non-SHS exposure (P = 0.033), number of symptoms (P < 0.01), number of ADRs (P < 0.01), low perceived social support (P < 0.01), and negative perception for waiting time in the clinic (P = 0.026) were identified to be factors significantly associated with lower mental component summary.

Socioeconomic status including SHS exposure and low perceived social support, in addition to clinical factors, may be associated with poor HRQOL. Further study would be needed to assess our findings.