Analysis of the correlation between quality of life, level of fatigue and these in cases of inpatients with early-stage tuberculosis

Objective: The aim of our study is to determine levels of quality of life (QOL) and fatigue of early-stage tuberculosis cases and to investigate the correlation between QOL and levels of fatigue.

 

Materials and Method: This cross-sectional research study was carried out on the 92 active tuberculosis patients who were receiving treatment as inpatients in the Chest Diseases Hospital through a year as from January 2007. A questionnaire form which was developed as a data collection tool by the researcher, Short Form 36 (SF-36), Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS), and Severity Scale (FSS) have been used.

 Results: It has been found out that the patients made the lowest score on SF-36, (28.5±38.3) on physical role limitations and (78.1±23.1) – the highest score – on physical functionality. The fatigue ratio of cases is 57.6 %. At the end of the correlation analysis applied, a positively significant correlation was found between age and FSS, age and FIS Cognitive, and age and FIS physical; a negatively significant correlation was found between income and FIS Social; a positively significant correlation was found between treatment duration and FSS; a negatively significant correlation was found between the scores of QOL and FSS, the scores of QOL and FIS Cognitive, the scores of QOL and FIS Physical, the scores of QOL and FIS Social, and the scores of QOL and FIS total scores (p<0.05). The most significant  explanatory risk factors whether it is 4≥ FSS and 4< FSS were found sex, general health perception, and emotional role limitations.

 Conclusion: Early-stage tuberculosis patients’ fatigue level is high and is negatively correlated with the QOL. In this patient group, sex, general health perception, and emotional role limitations are risk factors in terms of fatigue.