<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_sjph-2018-0006_s_006_w2aab3b7b6b1b6b1aab1c18b1Aa"><h3>Background</h3><p>Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is measuring a patient’s experience of his health status and represents an outcome of medical interventions. Existing data proves that a healthy lifestyle is positively associated with HRQoL in all age groups. Patients with a high risk for cardiovascular disease typically led an unhealthy lifestyle combined with risk diseases. We aimed to analyse these characteristics and their reflection in HRQoL.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjph-2018-0006_s_007_w2aab3b7b6b1b6b1aab1c18b2Aa"><h3>Methods</h3><p>A cross-sectional study in 36 family practices, stratified by location and size. Each practice invited 30 high-risk patients from the register. Data were obtained from medical records and patient questionnaire. The EQ-5D questionnaire and the VAS scale were used for measuring the patient’s HRQoL as an independent variable.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjph-2018-0006_s_008_w2aab3b7b6b1b6b1aab1c18b3Aa"><h3>Results</h3><p>871 patients (80.6% response rate) were included in the analysis. 60.0% had 3-4 uncontrolled risk factors for CVD. The average VAS scale was 63.2 (SD 19.4). The correlation of EQ-5D was found in the number of visits in the practice (r=-0.31, p&lt;0.001), the socioeconomic status (r=-0.25, p=0.001), age (r=-0.27, p=0.001) and healthy diet (r=0.20, p=0.006). In a multivariate model, only physical activity among lifestyle characteristics was an independent predictor of HRQoL (p=0.001, t=3.3), along with the frequency of visits (p&lt;0.001, t=-5.3) and age (p=0.025, t=-2.2).</p></sec><sec id="j_sjph-2018-0006_s_009_w2aab3b7b6b1b6b1aab1c18b4Aa"><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This study has been performed on a specific group of patients, not being “really sick”, but having less optimal lifestyle in many cases. Encouragement to improve or keep healthy lifestyle, especially physical activity, is important, not only to lower the risk for CVD, but also to improve HRQoL.</p></sec></abstract>

BackgroundHealth-related quality of life (HRQoL) is measuring a patient’s experience of his health status and represents an outcome of medical interventions. Existing data proves that a healthy lifestyle is positively associated with HRQoL in all age groups. Patients with a high risk for cardiovascular disease typically led an unhealthy lifestyle combined with risk diseases. We aimed to analyse these characteristics and their reflection in HRQoL.MethodsA cross-sectional study in 36 family practices, stratified by location and size. Each practice invited 30 high-risk patients from the register. Data were obtained from medical records and patient questionnaire. The EQ-5D questionnaire and the VAS scale were used for measuring the patient’s HRQoL as an independent variable.Results871 patients (80.6% response rate) were included in the analysis. 60.0% had 3-4 uncontrolled risk factors for CVD. The average VAS scale was 63.2 (SD 19.4). The correlation of EQ-5D was found in the number of visits in the practice (r=-0.31, p<0.001), the socioeconomic status (r=-0.25, p=0.001), age (r=-0.27, p=0.001) and healthy diet (r=0.20, p=0.006). In a multivariate model, only physical activity among lifestyle characteristics was an independent predictor of HRQoL (p=0.001, t=3.3), along with the frequency of visits (p<0.001, t=-5.3) and age (p=0.025, t=-2.2).ConclusionThis study has been performed on a specific group of patients, not being “really sick”, but having less optimal lifestyle in many cases. Encouragement to improve or keep healthy lifestyle, especially physical activity, is important, not only to lower the risk for CVD, but also to improve HRQoL.

Health behavior and health-related quality of life in patients with a high risk of cardiovascular disease

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

ZDRAVSTVENE NAVADE IN Z ZDRAVJEM POVEZANA KAKOVOST ŽIVLJENJA PRI BOLNIKIH Z VISOKIM TVEGANJEM ZA NASTANEK BOLEZNI SRCA IN OŽILJA

BackgroundHealth-related quality of life (HRQoL) is measuring a patient’s experience of his health status and represents an outcome of medical interventions....

Health behavior and health-related quality of life in patients with a high risk of cardiovascular disease

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Jan 05, 2018

Page range: 39 - 46

Received: Jun 20, 2017

Accepted: Dec 01, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2018-0006

Keywords
high risk, cardiovascular diseases, HRQoL, risk factors

© 2018 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Health behavior and health-related quality of life in patients with a high risk of cardiovascular disease

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Jan 05, 2018

Page range: 39 - 46

Received: Jun 20, 2017

Accepted: Dec 01, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2018-0006

Keywordshigh risk, cardiovascular diseases, HRQoL, risk factors

© 2018 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
high risk, cardiovascular diseases, HRQoL, risk factors