Impact of Gastrointestinal Diseases on Health-Related Quality of Life of Patients in Pakistan

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the impact of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Pakistani patients. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1st January 2019 to 15th February 2019 at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan by employing a self-administered questionnaire called Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI). Questionnaires were distributed among the patients presenting to outpatient gastroenterology clinics to evaluate their HRQoL. Results A total of 199 patients were included in this study, and their mean GIQLI score was 87.8 +/- 17.8. Results showed that more severe core symptoms can lead to a poorer QoL. Overall GIQLI scores and most of its domain scores were lower in females as compared to males (p-value: 0.02). Obese patients had an overall lower mean GIQLI score including in the GI, psychological, and social domains while advanced age was associated with a higher disease-specific GIQLI score. Conclusion Based on our findings, GI diseases negatively impact the HRQoL in patients. Physicians need to consider the different domains of QoL as part of a holistic approach to treating these patients.