HEALTH RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS UNDERWENT OPEN HEART SURGERY.

Introduction: Factors influencing the post-operative health related quality of life (HRQoL) after cardiac surgery have not been well described yet, mainly in the older people. The study aim was to explore the differences in clinical conditions in health related quality of life of patients after cardiac surgery are taking into account the influence of socio demographic variable and to describe factors influencing changes of health related quality of life in post-operative period. The purpose of the study was to assess the health related quality of life of patients who underwent open heart surgery attending CTVS OPD, JIPMER. Methodology: This study was conducted using cross sectional descriptive survey design. 180 patients who underwent open heart surgery at JIPMER were selected using non probability convenience sampling technique from patients attending CTVS OPD at JIPMER to assess the health related quality of life using Modified RAND SF-36 questionnaire. Results: Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the findings which show that the overall quality of life is 62.78%. With regard to demographic variable majority 86(47.8%) were in the age group of 41-60 years, 93(51.7%) were female, 140(77.8) were married, 42(23.3%) had middle level and primary level education, 91(50.6%) were unemployed, 139(77.2%) had income <2500, 114(63.3%) were moderate type of work, 134(74.4%) had undergone valvular surgeries, 85(47.2%) had single valve replacement, 45(25%) were 1-5 years after open heart surgery, 161(89.4%) had no history of recurrent open heart surgery, 138(76.7%) had no history of associated co-morbidities, 176(97.8%) were non- smoker, 177(98.3%) were non-alcoholic, 174(96.7%) were regular to treatment follow up. Overall, 78(45%) had fair health related quality of life, 52(28.9%) had poor health related quality of life, 50(27.8%) had good health related quality of life. Conclusion: The study concluded that most of the patients who underwent open heart surgery have fair quality of life so that there is a need for enhancement in rehabilitation services in order to improve their quality of life further.