[Health-related quality of life in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis].

INTRODUCTION

The need for assessing the quality of life in chronic rhinosinusitis is emphasised by the medical, social and economic importance of this pathological condition. Questionnaires have been employed in majority of studies while there are no available data that Q method has been used for quality of life research in chronic rhinosinusitis up to the present.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to identify, group and analyse subjective perception of the impact of the disease on health-related quality of life in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

METHODS

The study involved 36 consecutive patients of both sexes, older than 10 years of age, diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis in the tertiary health clinic in three successive weeks. They were selected for medicamentous treatment. Health-related quality of life was assessed by Q method. Through 34 representative statements, which were sorted by the examinees related to subjective priorities, 10 key quality of life domains were examined. The data were processed by factor analysis employing specialised software package PQMethod.

RESULTS

Analysing individual opinions of the examinees, five different opinion-types (factors) on the impact of chronic rhinosinusitis on quality of life were demonstrated. They were marked numerically and descriptively according to dominant characteristics of the group: Factor 1--stable group (47.2% of individuals), Factor 2--symptomatic group (11.1% of individuals), Factor 3--mental group (5.6% of individuals), Factor 4--physical group (11.1% of individuals) and Factor 5--optimistic group (25.0% of individuals). Each group was systematically analysed.

CONCLUSION

Majority of patients with chronic rhinosinusits (72.2%) were found to be satisfied with the quality of life, while just a small number (5.6%) heavily bore the illness which especially jeopardised their mental health. This study demonstrates the strength of Q method in analysing and categorizing subjectivity and offers quality practical information which enables a more comprehensive approach and more adequate intervention in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.