Factors associated with good quality of life among chronic objective pulmonary disease patients in Zhejiang province, China: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic, progressive and debilitating disease that affects an individual's quality of life (QOL), especially those patients living in poor living environments. This study aimed to assess the level of good QOL and determine the factors associated with good QOL among COPD patients living in Zhejiang Province, China. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted to collect information about COPD patients in six tertiary hospitals in Zhejiang province. A validated questionnaire was used to collect general information, environmental factors, COPD stage, and treatment for the included patients. The standardized St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was used to assess QOL. Random sampling was used to recruit 420 participants. Questionnaires were completed by interviews. Binary logistic regression was used to predict influencing factors of good QOL among COPD patients living in Zhejiang Province, China at a significance level of α = 0.05. Results: The overall good QOL among COPD patients was 25.7%. In the multivariable logistic regression, six variables were found to be associated with good QOL; airflow limitation severity (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=8.69, 95% CI=2.65-28.46), duration of illness (AOR=8.25, 95% CI=1.98-34.29), number of hospitalisations within the past 3 months (AOR 5.39, 95% CI=1.07-27.24), annual treatment expenses (AOR=3.68, 95% CI=1.31-10.34), educational level (AOR=3.20, 95% CI=1.11-9.22), and type of medical insurance (AOR=2.21, 95% CI=1.04-4.71). Conclusions: It is evident from this study that good QOL among COPD patients is strongly related to the stage of COPD and the financial burden on treatment. Early detection and treatment including exacerbations strategies are crucial to improving COPD patients’ QOL.