Effects of chronic comorbidities on the health-related quality of life among older patients after falls in vietnamese hospitals

Hai Minh Vu, Long Hoang Nguyen, Tung Hoang Tran, Kiet Tuan Huy Pham, Hai Thanh Phan, Hieu Ngoc Nguyen, Bach Xuan Tran, Carl A. Latkin, Cyrus S.H. Ho, Roger C.M. Ho

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although comorbidities are prevalent in older people experiencing falls, there is a lack of studies examining their influence on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in this population. This study examines the prevalence of comorbidities and associations between comorbidities and HRQOL in older patients after falls in Vietnamese hospitals. A cross-sectional design was employed among 405 older patients admitted to seven hospitals due to fall injuries in Thai Binh province, Vietnam. The EuroQol-5 Dimensions-5 Levels (EQ-5D-5L) was used to measure HRQOL. Socio-demographic characteristics were collected using a structured questionnaire, while comorbidities and other clinical characteristics were examined by physicians and extracted from medical records. Multivariate Tobit regression was used to determine the associations between comorbidities and HRQOL. Among 405 patients, 75.6% had comorbidities, of which hypertension and osteoarthritis were the most common. Lumbar spine/cervical spine diseases (Coefficient (Coef.) = ??0.10; 95%CI = ??0.18; 0.03) and stroke (Coef. = ??0.36; 95%CI = ??0.61; ??0.10) were found to be associated with a significantly decreased EQ-5D index. Participants with three comorbidities had EQ-5D indexes 0.20 points lower (Coef. = ??0.20; 95%CI = ??0.31; ??0.09) in comparison with those without comorbidities. This study underlined a significantly high proportion of comorbidities in older patients hospitalized due to fall injuries in Vietnam. In addition, the existence of comorbidities was associated with deteriorating HRQOL. Frequent monitoring and screening comorbidities are critical to determining which individuals are most in need of HRQOL enhancement.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number3623
JournalInternational journal of environmental research and public health
Volume16
Issue number19
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2019

Keywords

  • Comorbidity
  • Fall
  • Health-related quality of life
  • Older
  • Vietnam

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pollution
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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