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BACKGROUND: Snakebite envenoming remains poorly understood in terms of long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL), particularly in China where standardized assessments are lacking. This study is the first to comprehensively evaluate HRQoL impairments in discharged snakebite patients using the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5 L) instrument in China, addressing a critical methodological gap. METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional study enrolled 6,528 snakebite patients. HRQoL was assessed via EQ-5D-5 L (Chinese value set) and customized surveys. Generalized linear models and XGBoost machine learning identified predictors. RESULTS: The mean utility score (0.76 ± 0.27) was significantly lower than China's general population (0.95). Pain/discomfort (53.6%) and mobility impairment (45.4%) were most prevalent. Machine learning revealed key predictors: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD, 34.5%) > number of snakebites (11.7%) > time of arrival at medical institutions (7.9%) > depression (7.8%) > marriage (6.5%). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first EQ-5D-5 L-based quantification of the significant HRQoL burden among snakebite survivors in China. Physical impairments predominantly manifest in the mobility and pain/discomfort dimensions, while mental health disorders constitute the primary driver of long-term HRQoL deterioration. Crucially, we identified PTSD, time to medical facility, and bite frequency as modifiable predictors, evidencing their relevance for snakebite prevention and control strategies.
Tian et al. (Tue,) studied this question.