SELECTING FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH GASTRO-ESOPHAGEAL REFLUX

Abstract

The purposes of this correlational research were to examine the quality of life in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux and to determine factors associated with quality of life about overweight, symptom severity, eating behaviors, sleep hygiene, medication adherence and stress. One hundred and fourteen adult patients aged 18-60 years diagnosed with gastro-esophageal reflux disease from the gastroenterology outpatients clinic at the Siriraj hospital, Rajvithi hospital and the Police General Hospital were enrolled. Questionnaires were composed of demographic data, quality of life, symptom severity, eating behaviors, sleep hygiene, medication adherence and stress. All questionnaires were tested for content validities and the reliabilities were .94, .89, .85, .71, .91, and .88, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and pearson’s product moment correlation coefficients. The major findings were as follows:

1. Mean score of quality of life in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux was in the level of good (= 22.38, S.D. = 2.69).
2. Stress was significant negatively related to quality of life in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux at the level of .05 (r = -.350). Which normal stress/not stress effect to the quality of life in patients was in the level of good.
3. 3. Overweight (r = .127), symptom severity (r = -.121), eating behaviors (r = .108), sleep hygiene (r = -.052) and medication adherence (r = -.013) were not related to quality of life in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux. Which normal weight, uncomfortable for activity in daily life, inappropriate eating behaviors and sleep hygiene and medium medication adherence were not difference of quality of life.