| Background. It is generally accepted that both the physical and the mental domains contribute to quality of life (QOL). However, the extent to which the domains/dimensions contribute to overall QOL remains controversial. Evaluation of a patient's current health state, based on formal utility assessment methods, is integral to decision and cost-effectiveness analyses. For the most part however, it is often unclear why people have the utilities that they do.; Purpose. To investigate whether sociodemographics including race/ethnicity and religiosity are related to the following four domains of health related quality of life (HRQOL): (a) Physical Pain/Discomfort, (b) Independence, (c) Social Relationships, (d) Psychological Aspects; and to see which of the four domains are more strongly associated with overall HRQOL and/or preference-based utility scores. Also, to investigate whether these same characteristics are related to overall HRQOL and/or preference-based utility score, and to examine how overall HRQOL (accounting for these demographic characteristics) are related to preference-based utility scores.; Methods. A cross-sectional, supervised self-administered survey to assess the perception of HRQOL and utilities in the general population of three different groups: Caucasian Americans, African American, and Jamaicans. Various regression models were constructed and analyzed. The outcome variables: HRQOL and Utility scores (Time Trade-Off method). The independent variables: Age, Gender, Education, Race/Ethnicity, Personal importance of religion, Pain/Discomfort, Independence, Social interaction, and Psychological aspects.; Results. The results show sociodemographics are more strongly related to emotional than to physical domains. Age has the most substantial impact on HRQOL and Preference-based utilities. The age*education interaction also plays a major role in predicting HRQOL and preference based utilities. Gender plays a smaller yet significant role. Older people had lower HRQOL and utility scores and women consistently had high scores than men.; Conclusion. Age and to a lesser extent education are major factors to consider in assessing a patient's perceived HRQOL or preference for a particular health state. This could be due to differing views of health as people get older or a cohort effect, as well as level of education regarding health and disease. Gender is also an important characteristic to consider. In this study, neither religiosity nor race/ethnicity appeared as significant determinants. |
