Health-related quality of life in French adolescents and adults: norms for the DUKE Health Profile

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The continual monitoring of population health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with validated instruments helps public health agencies assess, protect, and promote population health. This study aimed to determine norms for the French adolescent and adult general population for the Duke Health Profile (DUKE) questionnaire in a large representative community sample.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We randomly selected 17,733 French people aged 12 to 75 years old in 2 steps, by households and individuals, from the National Health Barometer 2005, a periodic population study by the French National Institute for Prevention and Health Education. Quality of life and other data were collected by computer-assisted telephone interview.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Normative data for the French population were analyzed by age, gender and self-reported chronic disease. Globally, function scores (best HRQoL=100) for physical, mental, social, and general health, as well as perceived health and self-esteem, were 72.3 (SEM 0.2), 74.6 (0.2), 66.8 (0.1), 71.3 (0.1), 71.3 (0.3), 76.5 (0.1), respectively. Dysfunction scores (worst HRQoL=100) for anxiety, depression, pain and disability domains were 30.9 (0.1), 27.6 (0.2), 34.3 (0.3), 3.1 (0.1), respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The French norms for adolescents and adults for the DUKE could be used as a reference for other studies assessing HRQoL, for specific illnesses, in France and for international comparisons.</p

Treatment Preferences Among Depressed Primary Care Patients

OBJECTIVE: To understand patient factors that may affect the probability of receiving appropriate depression treatment, we examined treatment preferences and their predictors among depressed primary care patients. DESIGN: Patient questionnaires and interviews. SETTING: Forty-six primary care clinics in 7 geographic regions of the United States. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand one hundred eighty-seven English- and Spanish-speaking primary care patients with current depressive symptoms. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Depressive symptoms and diagnoses were determined by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Treatment preferences and characteristics were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire and a telephone interview. Nine hundred eight-one (83%) patients desired treatment for depression. Those who preferred treatment were wealthier (odds ratio [OR], 3.7; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.8 to 7.9; P = .001) and had greater knowledge about antidepressant medication ( OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.6 to 4.4; P≤ .001) than those who did not want treatment. A majority ( 67%, n = 660) of those preferring treatment preferred counseling, with African Americans (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.0 to 4.8, P = .04 compared to whites) and those with greater knowledge about counseling (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.6 to 2.7, P≤ .001) more likely to choose counseling. Three hundred twelve ( 47%) of the 660 desiring counseling preferred group over individual counseling. Depression severity was only a predictor of preference among those already in treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Despite low rates of treatment for depression, most depressed primary care patients desire treatment, especially counseling. Preferences for depression treatment vary by ethnicity, gender, income, and knowledge about treatments