September 18, 2018Open Access
View Full PaperPredictors of quality of life in young adults with congenital heart disease
Key Result
Young adults with congenital heart disease had worse physical health-related quality of life than healthy controls, but similar mental quality of life and psychological adjustment.
Study Design
Type
Case-Control (n=327)
Structured PICO
P
Population
327 young adults aged 18-30 years, comprising 188 patients with congenital heart disease and 139 healthy controls, assessed for quality of life and psychological adjustment.
C
Comparator
139 age-matched healthy controls (57% female).
O
Outcome
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological adjustment (PA) assessed via questionnaires.patient reported
Young adults with congenital heart disease experience impaired physical quality of life compared to healthy peers, highlighting the need for targeted psychosocial and physical support, particularly for females and those with lower exercise capacity.
Abstract
AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify medical and psychosocial risk factors for impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and poor psychological adjustment (PA) in young adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). METHODS AND RESULTS: A group of 188 patients (43% females, ages 18-30 years) with various types of CHD and 139 age-matched healthy controls (57% females) completed questionnaires assessing HRQoL, PA, social support, significant life events in the past year, education level, civil status, and employment status. Medical variables were retrieved from the patients' hospital records. Patients reported worse physical HRQoL than controls but similar mental HRQoL and PA. Female CHD patients showed worse physical and mental HRQoL and poorer PA than males. In CHD patients, a lower educational level and lower physical exercise capacity predicted lower physical HRQoL, but complexity of CHD was not related to HRQoL or PA. Less social support was associated with lower mental HRQoL and poorer PA in CHD patients. CONCLUSION: Young adults with CHD have impaired physical HRQoL but normal mental HRQoL and PA. Lower physical exercise capacity, female sex, less social support, and lower educational level predict an unfavourable quality of life and PA. This subgroup of patients should be monitored more closely and provided with special psychosocial care to improve long-term outcome.