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. 2014 Feb;90(2):322-8.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0361. Epub 2013 Dec 9.

Assessment of quality of life as a tool for measuring morbidity due to Schistosoma mansoni infection and the impact of treatment

Kimberly Y Won  1 , Bernard Abudho, Anna J Blackstock, Susan P Montgomery, Erin D Kennedy, Bobbie Person, Pauline N M Mwinzi, Elizabeth A Ochola, Karen T Foo, Allen W Hightower, Diana M S Karanja, W Evan Secor
Affiliations

Assessment of quality of life as a tool for measuring morbidity due to Schistosoma mansoni infection and the impact of treatment

Kimberly Y Won et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2014 Feb.

Abstract

Recently, health measurements have broadened to include the assessment of quality of life (QOL). This study was conducted to assess whether the short form of the World Health Organization (WHO) QOL questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) was an effective tool for measuring morbidity due to Schistosoma mansoni infection and whether it could detect an impact of treatment with praziquantel. A total of 724 adults 18-85 years of age were enrolled. At baseline, S. mansoni prevalence was 73.2% by stool examination and 75.4% by circulating cathodic antigen, and there was no association between infection status and WHOQOL-BREF scores. Six months after treatment, S. mansoni prevalence was lower and the proportion of persons with higher WHOQOL-BREF scores significantly increased among persons who were infected at baseline. However, a similar increase was observed in persons not infected at baseline. In areas of high prevalence, the WHOQOL-BREF may not be able to detect the benefits of schistosomiasis control programs.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Prevalence of anemia and non-Schistosoma mansoni infections at baseline and six months after treatment. STH = soil-transmitted helminth; HIV = human immunodeficiency virus.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Mean composite scores for reported side effects. In this plot, boxes represent the 25th–75th percentile and the line in the box represents the median. Whiskers represent the maximum and minimum composite scores. Schistosoma mansoni infection status was defined by Kato-Katz. NEG = negative; MOD = moderate.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Schistosoma mansoni infection intensity by Kato-Katz and percentage of reported side effects.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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