In:
The Laryngoscope, Wiley, Vol. 131, No. 9 ( 2021-09), p. 2006-2010
Abstract:
To conduct longitudinal postoperative follow‐up and discern health‐related quality‐of‐life (HR‐QoL) changes using a validated questionnaire among patients undergoing head and neck surgeries during a short‐term, global surgical trip in a resource‐limited setting. To identify clinicodemographic predictors of post‐operative HR‐QoL improvements in this setting. Study Design Retrospective observational study with prospective follow‐up. Methods Patients undergoing surgery at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya through the authors' short‐term surgical trip (STST) between 2016 and 2019 were asked to complete preoperative Short Form‐36 (SF‐36) HR‐QoL questionnaires, and postoperative SF‐36 questionnaires during subsequent follow‐up. Preoperative and postoperative SF‐36 domain scores, and two composite scores (mental component summary [MCS] and physical component summary [PCS] ) were compared. Linear regression models were fit to identify clinicodemographic factors predictors of general health (GH), MCS, and PCS scores. Results Among the 26 participating patients, significant improvements were seen in post‐operative GH (mean change = 19.8) and MCS (mean change = 11.2) scores. Lower pre‐operative GH, MCS, and PCS scores were predictive of greater improvement in the corresponding post‐operative scores. Longer time to follow‐up was associated with greater improvement in GH score. Mean follow‐up interval was 23.1 months (SD = 1.8 months). Conclusions Utilizing the SF‐36 questionnaire, we found that patients' perception of their general and psychosocial health improved after undergoing head and neck surgeries through a global STST. This study provides important, preliminary evidence that that elective surgeries performed in low‐resource settings convey substantial benefit to patient QoL. Level of Evidence 4 Laryngoscope , 131:2006–2010, 2021
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0023-852X
,
1531-4995
Language:
English
Publisher:
Wiley
Publication Date:
2021
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2026089-1
