Title
Health-related quality of life in young adults with minor congenital heart disease
Author
Fekkes, M.
Kamphuis, R.P.
Ottenkamp, J.
Verrips, E.
Vogels, T.
Kamphuis, M.
Verloove-Vanhorick, S.P.
TNO Preventie en Gezondheid
Publication year
2001
Abstract
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.
Subject
Health
Congenital heart disease
Health status
Quality of life
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http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:dfd202e3-620f-4f90-b860-ac3012ed7465
TNO identifier
236342
ISSN
0887-0446
Source
Psychology and Health, 16 (2), 239-250
Document type
article