Abstract

BARAJAS GUTIERREZ, Miguel Angel et al. Quality of life related to health and obesity at a primary care facility. Rev. Esp. Salud Publica [online]. 1998, vol.72, n.3, pp.221-231. ISSN 2173-9110.

BACKGROUND. To evaluate the association between obesity and two aspects of health-related quality of life: self-perception of health status and psychological well-being in patients assigned to a primary care center. METHODS. 167 patients between 20 and 70 years old with a body mass índex ³ were included in the study. A clinical interview was carried out to get sociodemographic and clinical data and to administer two questionnaires: 1) Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) and 2) Psychological General Well-being (PGWB) índex. RESULTS. The mean scores of the NHP indicated a moderate overall impairment of perceived health in females. Pain, emotional reactions and physical mobility were the affected dimensions. Females, age group over 50, low level of education and the presence of psychiatric pathology or osteoarthritis were significantly associated with worse scores. The mean scores of PGWB indicates a small impairment of psychological well-being. In this case, worse scores were associated with females, anxiety and low level of education. CONCLUSIONS. In the study population, we identify a profile of obese patients with worse quality of life: women with age over 50, low level of education and the presence of psychiatric pathology or osteoarthritis. We think it would be a good idea to achieve a prior performance towards them.

Keywords : Obesity; quality of life; perceived health; psychological well-being.

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