Pre intensive phase health related quality of life (HRQOL) among patients with active tuberculosis in Kuala Terengganu: its associated factors and comparison with post intensive phase

Background Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease that has infected one third of the world population. Tuberculosis not only gives an impact physically but also affects the quality of life. The quality of life in tuberculosis patients diminish by multiple factors. The objective of this study is to determine the health related quality of life in active tuberculosis patients at the beginning and at the end of the intensive treatment and the associated factors of quality of life at the beginning of the treatment. Methodology This is a cross-sectional prospective study done between September 2014 until March 2015 involving 60 tuberculosis patients in which 35 of them were infected with pulmonary tuberculosis, 18 patients were infected with extra pulmonary tuberculosis and 7 patients had both pulmonary and extra pulmonary Tuberculosis. All eligible patients were asked to complete a self-administered SF36v2 questionnaire at the diagnosis and at the end of the intensive phase treatment of tuberculosis. The quality of life score were scored into eight health domains, physical and mental component summary. The difference of the quality of life score at the beginning and at the end of the intensive phase was assessed using paired t-test and multiple linear regression to assess the associated factors for the quality of life score. Result The quality of life score significantly improved all eight domains as well as the physical and mental component summary at the end of the intensive phase. For the PCS, the mean score at the beginning of treatment was 39.2(SD+10.19), at the end of intensive phase was 49.1 (SD+9.03) and the mean difference was -9.89. While for the mean MCS scores at the start of the treatment, after the intensive phase andthe mean difference were 42.00(SD+10.77), 50.24(SD+8.79) and 8.20, respectively. The number of symptoms at the diagnosis and being HIV infected patients were the predictive difference in PCS score at the beginning of the treatment of anti-tuberculosis. Being HIV infected patients were the factors that negatively affect the MCS score at the beginning of treatment. Conclusion This study showed that the HQOL improved with intensive phase of treatment. The number of symptoms at the diagnosis and being HIV patients were the associated factors that lower the physical component summary score(PCS). Similarly, the mental component summary score(MCS) was lower in HIV patients than non HIV patient