Evaluation of treatment effect of anti-tuberculosis drugs on the quality of life among tuberculosis patients admitted in Imam Khomeini hospital in Tehran

Background: Despite the possibility of curing TB with medical therapy, it has a sizable impact on the lives of afflicted patients. This study aimed to evaluate of treatment effect of anti-tuberculosis drugs on the quality of life on tuberculosis patients admitted in Imam Khomeini hospital in Tehran.

Materials and Methods: The investigation was a before and after study. It was done in 2006-2007 by fill in Persian translated questionnaire of WHOQOL- BREF on 46 pulmonary or extra pulmonary TB infected patients. Paired samples T-test was performed to find out the differences.

Results: After 8 weeks of treatment, mean score elevation was significant in physical (15.76±23.89, p<0.001), psychological (7.84±17.57, p=0.004), and social (6.83±19.48, p=0.02) domains. It was not significant in environmental domain (2.15±8.48, p=0.09).Mean score elevation at the discharge time in physical, psychological, social and environmental domains were: (5.65±16.56, p=0.09), (11.69±19.22, p=0.001), (1.04±8.60, p=0.41), and (4.37±17.77, p=0.1), respectively.

Conclusion: In our study, after treatment of tuberculosis, patient’s physical, psychological and social –not environmental- domains of quality of life were elevated, but at the discharge, there was a significant elevation in physical and psychological domains. These results emphasize the importance of patient’s treatment at the first days of admission, with special attention to social and environmental domains.