Using the DLQI to measure quality of life in Podoconiosis patients in wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia
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Date
2007-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Back ground: Podoconiosis is non-infective, usually crystalline Blockage of the limb
lymphatic, almost always affecting the lower limbs. In Ethiopia Podoconiosis is an important
public health problem in endemic areas like Wolaita zone. Podoconiosis has a serious social
and psychological burden. The importance of assessment of quality of life has gained
considerable value in recent years .There are several benefits of measuring QOL.
Objectives: The objective of the study was to asses the applicability of DLQI in measuring
the quality of life of Podoconiosis patients.
Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in wolaita zone, SNNPR Ethiopia in eight
MFTPA`s outreach sites using the translated Amharic version of DLQI.
Results: the questioners were administered to 148 Podoconiosis patients, 80 males and 68
females. Patients' ages ranged from 17-78 years (mean 35.95 years, SD 16.112,).fifty percent
were new patients and the rest were patients treated for a minimum of three months at
MFTPA. Twenty eight (18.9%) of patients were from urban areas and the rest were from rural
sites. The Cronbach`s alpha was 0.71 among treated patients and 0.78 among new patients.
Item total correlation ranged from 0.39-0.47. The DLQI score for new patients ranged from 4
to 21 (mean 12.76, median 13.00, SD 3.81) and those for treated patients ranged from 1 to 18
(mean 4.08, median 3.00, SD 3.16). The ranked mean difference between the two groups was
statistically significant. (Z=-0.9477, p value< 0.000). There was no statistically significant
difference between age, sex and outreach sites groups regarding the overall DLQI score.
Conclusions: In conclusion it was found that the Amharic version of the DLQI was a valid,
reliable and acceptable for measuring the quality of life of Podoconiosis patients in the study
settings and a three or more month treatment by MFTPA is associated with improving the
quality of life.
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Using the DLQI to measure quality of life in Podoconiosis