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The Impact of 29 Chronic Conditions on Health-related Quality of Life: A General Population Survey in Finland Using 15D and EQ-5D

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Abstract

Background

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an essential outcome of health care, but there is no gold standard of HRQoL measurement. We investigated the impact of major chronic conditions on HRQoL using 15D and EQ-5D in a representative sample of Finns.

Methods

Information on chronic somatic conditions was obtained by interviews. Psychiatric disorders were diagnosed using a structured interview (M-CIDI). Tobit and CLAD regression analysis was used to estimate the impact of conditions on HRQoL at the individual and population level.

Main results

Adjusted for other conditions and sociodemographic variables, Parkinson’s disease had the largest negative impact on HRQoL at the individual level, followed by anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and arthrosis of the hip and knee. Based on prevalence, arthrosis of the hip or knee, depression, back problems and urinary incontinence caused the greatest loss of HRQoL at the population level. The results obtained with the two HRQoL measures differed markedly for some conditions and the EQ-5D results also varied with the regression method used.

Conclusions

Musculoskeletal disorders are associated with largest losses of HRQoL in the Finnish population, followed by psychiatric conditions. Different HRQoL measures may systematically emphasize different conditions.

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Abbreviations

CLAD:

Censored least absolute deviations

DSM-IV:

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition

HRQoL:

Health-related quality of life

HUI:

Health Utilities Index

M-CIDI:

Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview

QALY:

Quality-adjusted life year

YLD:

Years lived with disability

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Acknowledgements

SIS received grants from the Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation and the Finnish Medical Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland

    Samuli I. Saarni, Jaana Suvisaari & Jouko Lönnqvist

  2. Department of Health and Functional Capacity, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland

    Tommi Härkänen, Seppo Koskinen & Arpo Aromaa

  3. Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Harri Sintonen

Authors
  1. Samuli I. Saarni
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  2. Tommi Härkänen
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  3. Harri Sintonen
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  4. Jaana Suvisaari
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  7. Jouko Lönnqvist
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Correspondence to Samuli I. Saarni.

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Saarni, S.I., Härkänen, T., Sintonen, H. et al. The Impact of 29 Chronic Conditions on Health-related Quality of Life: A General Population Survey in Finland Using 15D and EQ-5D. Qual Life Res 15, 1403–1414 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-006-0020-1

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