Factors associated with quality of life in chronic hepatitis C patients who received interferon plus ribavirin therapy

Abstract

Background/purpose: Antiviral treatment leading to impaired quality of life in chronic hepatitis C patients has been reported in the West. To promote high quality care, we explored the quality of life in Taiwanese chronic hepatitis C patients treated with antiviral therapy by means of comparing quality of life, social support and its factors.

Methods: One hundred and fifteen patients with chronic hepatitis C, enrolled from hospitals in Central Taiwan, were treated with interferon plus ribavirin. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection, including the Hepatitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (HQLQ), Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors (ISSB) and clinical demographics. The data were analyzed by the methods of means, correlation and regression.

Results: The study patients included 60 men (52.2%) and 55 women (47.8%), with 98 (85.2%) older than 40 years. The drug expenses of 71 (61.7%) patients were paid for by the Bureau of National Health Insurance of Taiwan. The patients had a low mean HQLQ score of 58.13 +/- 17.21. Three scales which had HQLQ scores below 50 were general health perceptions (49.39), vitality (49.32) and role disability: physical (47.48). The mean ISSB score was 71.15 +/- 19.61. Only financial stress (p = 0.006) had significant difference in HQLQ. Treatment duration (r = -0.23) correlated negatively with the general health domain of HQLQ, and tangible support (r = -0.21) correlated negatively with HQLQ scales. Financial stress and tangible support were significant predicting variables for HQLQ.

Conclusion: The study found that patients with chronic hepatitis C who received interferon plus ribavirin therapy had poor quality of life during the treatment period. There was significant difference among patients with different financial stress, and a negative relationship between tangible support and hepatitis quality of life. Financial stress and tangible support are predictors of quality of life for all subjects. The results of this study might assist healthcare personnel to comprehend the quality of life and its related factors in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with antiviral therapy.