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Health-related quality of life of day-case surgery patients: a pre/posttest survey using the EuroQoL-5D

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Abstract

Aim

This paper describes and compares the perceived health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of day-case surgery patients before and after their procedures and examines some associated patient-related factors.

Method

A pre/posttest survey design was employed to collect data from Finnish adult day-case surgery patients using participant-completed EuroQoL 5-Dimensional Classification Component Scores (EQ-5D) questionnaires given 2 weeks presurgery (n = 131) and 2 weeks postsurgery (n = 131) in 2004.

Results

No noticeable change after minor surgery was found using the EQ-5D. Using the EQ-5D index, patients perceived their HRQoL as high before and after surgery. Almost one fifth (17%) reported no pain or discomfort before the procedure compared with 40% after it. As measured by the EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQVAS), those patients who reported chronic illness before the operation had a lower perception of their HRQoL compared with those who did not. It was also found that self-care and usual activities were more disturbed after surgery.

Conclusions

Although there were increases and decreases within items of the EQ-5D, overall, there was no improvement on EQ-5D scores. More research is needed to explore the sensitivity and responsiveness of the EQ-5D measure in day-case surgery patients.

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Abbreviations

CI:

confidence interval

EQ-5D:

EuroQoL 5-Dimensional Classification Component Scores

EQVAS :

EuroQoL visual analogue scale

HRQoL:

health-related quality of life

SF-12, SF-36:

Short-Form Health-Related Quality of Life questionnaires

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the South-Western Hospital District of Finland, which is gratefully acknowledged. We wish to thank Norman Rickard, M.Sc., B.Sc. (hons), R.N. for his help with the English language.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Care District of Forssa, Forssa, Finland

    Riitta Suhonen

  2. Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Riitta Suhonen, Heli Virtanen, Katja Heikkinen, Anne Kaljonen, Sanna Salanterä & Helena Leino-Kilpi

  3. Department of Nursing Science, Finnish Postgraduate School in Nursing Science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Kirsi Johansson

  4. Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

    Tiina Leppänen

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  1. Riitta Suhonen
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Correspondence to Riitta Suhonen.

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Suhonen, R., Virtanen, H., Heikkinen, K. et al. Health-related quality of life of day-case surgery patients: a pre/posttest survey using the EuroQoL-5D. Qual Life Res 17, 169–177 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-007-9292-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-007-9292-3

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