Health-related quality of life in young adults with minor congenital heart disease

The present study examined the social impediments experienced by young adults with minor congenital heart disease (CHD) and compared the health status and health-related quality of life of these CHD-patients with a matched group (age, sex) from the general population. Young adults with minor CHD, not in need of surgical correction, were sent a questionnaire. Results showed that a substantial part of the CHD-patients experienced social impediments, i.e. at school (19%), during free time (15%), in choosing (13%) or performing a job (9%), with medical examinations for job/insurance (19%), and taking out a life insurance policy (8%). Those CHD-patients that experienced social impediments reported a health status and health-related quality of life comparable with the general population. Remarkably, CHD-patients without social impediments reported a better health-related quality of life for 6 of the 12 scales, when compared with the general population. This last result might be explained by coping mechanisms resulting in a higher appreciation of health status which is expressed in a higher health related quality of life.