Quality of Life and Patient Satisfaction with Family Practice Care in a Roma Population with Chronic Conditions in Northeast Slovenia

Abstract Objectives. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures a patient’s subjective experience of his or her health status. We aimed to show how the presence of chronic diseases and satisfaction with family physicians (FPs) were associated with the HRQoL of a Roma population. Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out in May 2011 on a representative sample of 650 Roma living in Prekmurje, Slovenia. The EQ-5D questionnaire was used for measuring the HRQoL of the Roma. Demographical data, 12 groups of diseases diagnosed in the last 12 months and satisfaction with FPs were included in the questionnaire. Results. The response rate was 88.3% (574), of which 56.4% were female, and the average age of the participants had a mean value of 40.2±12.7 years. The presence of cardiovascular problems with risk factors for them or presence of musculoskeletal disorders were strongly associated with the presence of pain (Cramer’s V = 0.40 and 0.46 respectively). There was a strong association between the presence of mental disorders and anxiety and depression (Cramer´s V = 0.58). The average satisfaction with the family physician was 3.9 (mean±1.10) on a five-point Likert scale. There was no significant association between HRQoL and satisfaction with the family physician. Conclusions. Roma with chronic mental health problems had the lowest HRQoL in the Roma population. More attention should be paid to this subgroup of Roma in family medicine, and interventions should be provided. High satisfaction with their FPs is not associated with the observed quality of life variables IZVLEČEK Uvod. Z zdravjem povezana kakovost življenja (HRQoL) je odraz pacientove subjektivne ocene lastnega zdravstvenega stanja. V naši raziskavi smo skušali ugotoviti, kakšen je vpliv nekaterih kroničnih bolezni in zadovoljstva z izbranim zdravnikom na HRQoL med romskim prebivalstvom. Metode. Maja 2011 smo izvedli presečno raziskavo v reprezentativnem vzorcu 650 pomurskih Romov. HRQoL smo merili z vprašalnikom EQ-5D; vključili smo še demografske podatke, zadovoljstvo z izbranim družinskim zdravnikom in 12 bolezenskih stanj, ki so bila diagnosticirana v zadnjih 12 mesecih. Rezultati. Odzivnost je bila 88,3-odstotna (574), 56,4 % je bilo žensk in povprečna starost sodelujočih je bila 40,2 +/- 12,7 leta. Nizek HRQoL v skupini s srčno-žilnimi boleznimi z dejavniki tveganja zanje in kostnomišičnimi boleznimi je bil močno povezan s prisotnostjo bolečine (Cramer z V = 0,40 in 0,46). V skupini z duševnimi težavami pa je bila močna povezava nizkega HRQoL s prisotnimi znaki anksioznosti in depresije (Cramer z V = 0,58). Povprečno zadovoljstvo z zdravnikom družinske medicine je bilo 3,9 (mediana +/- 1,10) na pettočkovni Likertovi lestvici. Ni bilo statistične povezave med HRQoL in zadovoljstvom z zdravnikom družinske medicine. Zaključki. Romi s prisotnostjo duševnih težav imajo najnižji HRQoL v romskem prebivalstvu. Več pozornosti bi v družinski medicini morali posvetiti tej podskupini Romov. Zadovoljstvo z zdravnikom družinske medicine ni povezano z opazovanimi spremenljivkami kakovosti življenja