Correlation Between Health-Related Life Quality and Dyspnea Severity in Aged COVID-19 Survivors in Indonesia

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 is a disease that can severely reduce life quality, particularly in the aged population. The research aim was to establish the correlation between health-related life quality and dyspnea severity within aged COVID-19 survivors.
Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted on older COVID-19 survivors at Persahabatan Hospital, Jakarta. The use of WhatsApp^® video call and Zoom^® video conference applications for audio and video evaluation in data collection. The European Quality of Life-5Dimensions-5L (EQ-5D-5L) and the European Quality of Life-Visual Analog Scale (EQ-VAS) were used to assess health-related quality of life. Modified Borg and modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale were used to assess dyspnea severity. The data were analyzed using correlation test.
Results: Based on 44 data collected, it was found that seven (15.9%) of the participants experienced mild breathlessness, while three patients (6.8%) had severe level of dyspnea on the modified Borg dyspnea scale assessment. The mMRC dyspnea scale assessment indicated that over nine patients (20.4%) had mMRC value greater than one. The study found a significant correlation (p less than 0.01) between the EQ-5D-5L and the modified Borg Dyspnea Scale, particularly in the areas of anxiety or depression (r=0.52), self-care (r=0.51), mobility (r=0.42), and EQ-VAS (r=-0.53). The EQ-5D-5L and the mMRC dyspnea scale showed a significant correlation (p less than 0.01), particularly in relation to usual activities (r=0.69), self-care (r=0.62), and mobility (r=0.65), as well as EQ VAS (r=-0.58).
Conclusion: Moderate positive correlations existed between life quality issues including self-care, anxiety, depression and dyspnea severity .