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Quality of life of glaucoma patients in China: sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological correlates—a cross-sectional study

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Abstract

Purpose

To assess vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) in Chinese glaucoma patients and explore its sociodemographic, clinical and psychological correlates, and determine which of them explain the largest variation.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 508 Chinese glaucoma patients. Chinese-version Glaucoma Quality of Life-15 questionnaire (CHI-GQL-15) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales were administered to all participants to evaluate their VRQoL and psychological distresses. Visual functions (habitual-corrected visual acuity (HCVA), intraocular pressure, and mean defect (MD) of visual field) were assessed through clinical examinations by professionals. Sociodemographic information and other treatment histories were collected via interviews and chart review. Stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological predictors of VRQoL.

Results

The mean summary score for CHI-GQL-15 was 28.79 ± 12.74. Patients exhibited the greatest difficulty in activities involving glare and dark adaptation (28.19 ± 22.86), followed by central and near vision (26.18 ± 26.56), peripheral vision (18.03 ± 21.37), and the least difficulty for outdoor mobility (15.06 ± 24.57). Moderate and heavy economic burden, HCVA and MD of both the better and the worse eyes, number of glaucoma surgeries in the treatment history and the presence of depression were independent predictors for VRQoL of glaucoma patients. Clinical factors explained the largest variation.

Conclusion

VRQoL of glaucoma patients is multifactorial and was primarily determined by clinical indices. VRQoL assessment could be informative when adopted as a complement to objective visual measures in clinical practice.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Mr. Wenlin Zhou and Dr. Jinjing Xie for their outstanding contribution to data interpretation and logistical help, and all participants for their time and invaluable devotion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and Ear, Nose, Throat Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 83 Fenyang Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200031, China

    Chuandi Zhou, Shaohong Qian, Peixia Wu & Chen Qiu

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  1. Chuandi Zhou
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  2. Shaohong Qian
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Correspondence to Shaohong Qian.

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Zhou, C., Qian, S., Wu, P. et al. Quality of life of glaucoma patients in China: sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological correlates—a cross-sectional study. Qual Life Res 23, 999–1008 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-013-0518-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-013-0518-2

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