QUALITY OF LIFE AND PERSPECTIVES OF HAPPINESS IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER PEOPLE WITH DYSPHAGIA
Author(s)
Naito M1, Suzukamo Y2, Fujii W3, Seta H4, Murata K5, Naito T6, Kikutani T7
1Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan, 2Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, 3Kyushu Dental University, Kitakyushu, Japan, 4South Miyagi Medical Center, Shibata-gun, Japan, 5Iizuka City Hospital, Iizuka, Japan, 6Fukuoka Dental College, Fukuoka, Japan, 7Nippon Dental University Graduate School of Life Dentistry at Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
OBJECTIVES: Eating is a pleasure for most people in daily life. It involves not only the physiologic intake of nourishment but also important social, psychologic, and cultural experiences. However, few studies have been assessed the impact of dysphagia on quality of life (QOL). Also, the association between dysphagia and perspectives of happiness is unknown. We aimed to examine the association between QOL and perspectives of happiness in middle-aged and older people with dysphagia. METHODS: We collected data from 138 dysphagia patients in university hospitals and clinics at Kyushu and Tokai area, Japan (mean age ± SD, 73 ± 11 years; range 40–98 years). The total of 12% in the subjects had have tube feeding. QOL was assessed using the dysphagia-related QOL scale which consisted of 7 domains. Happiness was evaluated using one item of a questionnaire. Clinical information was provided by medical professionals. Perspectives of happiness was categorized as “very happy,” “quite happy,” “neither happy/nor unhappy,” or “not at all happy.” We computed the mean QOL scores in each domain according to the level of happiness, adjusting for age, gender and nutrient intake, by analysis of covariance. The p values for trend were calculated. RESULTS: Overall, 26% reported feeling “very happy” and 46% were “quite happy”, whereas 20% were “neither happy/nor unhappy” and 8% were “not at all happy.” There was no significant relationship between age, the level of happiness and the severity of dysphagia. The scores of “Symptom” (p=0.04) and “Resignation” (p=0.04) domains increased with decreasing the level of happiness. Even after statistical adjustment for activities of daily living, these associations remained significant. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms and resignation regarding dysphagia were negatively associated with happiness. The improvement of QOL may have the positive impact on perspectives of happiness in middle-aged and older people with dysphagia.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2015-11, ISPOR Europe 2015, Milan, Italy
Value in Health, Vol. 18, No. 7 (November 2015)
Code
PSS65
Topic
Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Patient-reported Outcomes & Quality of Life Outcomes
Disease
Sensory System Disorders