Health-Related Quality of Life in Pacemaker Patients: A Single and Multidimensional Self-Rated Health Comparison Study

• Published in: European journal of cardiovascular nursing : journal of the Working Group on Cardiovascular Nursing of the European Society of Cardiology 2003-12, Vol.2 (4), p.291-302
• Main Authors: Malm, D, Svensson, E, Karlsson, J.-E, Fridlund, B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arrhythmia/therapy; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - therapy; Comparative Study; Cross-Sectional Studies; Elderly; EQ-5D; Female; Gender; Health Status; Health Surveys; Health-related quality of life; Humans; Male; MEDICIN; MEDICINE; Middle Aged; Pacemaker population; Pacemaker, Artificial; Quality of Life; Self Assessment (Psychology); Self-Assessment; Socioeconomic Factors
• ISSN: 1474-5151; 1873-1953; 1873-1953
• DOI: 10.1016/S1474-5151(03)00065-3

Since implantation of the first permanent pacemaker in 1958, significant advances have been made in pacemaker technology. To date, however, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a large pacemaker population has not been investigated. With dwindling clinical resources, it is important to study HRQoL in a pacemaker population in a reliable and straightforward manner. This study aimed to determine and compare single and multidimensional self-rated health (SRH) in a pacemaker population in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, pacemaker mode and symptoms. The findings showed that irrespective of whether the perspective was single or multidimensional, this Swedish pacemaker population (n=697) with a mean age of 76 years had an acceptable HRQoL. Men, aged 65–84 years, persons who were cohabiting, who had their own dwelling, who had a DDD or who had a pacemaker for ≤3 and 4–7 years experienced better HRQoL. Efforts need to be made for women, single persons, the elderly and retired persons. In conclusion, the SRH of a pacemaker population can be trustworthy established by means of a single-dimensional SRH question.