QUALITY OF LIFE RELATED TO HEALTH AND OBESITY IN A PRIMARY CARE CENTER

Abstract

Background: To evaluate the association between obesity and two aspects of health-related quality of life: self-perception of health and psychological well-being in patients enrolled in a health center.

Methods. Descriptive cross-sectional study on 167 patients between 20 and 70 years old, with a body mass index ³ 30. A clinical interview was carried out to obtain the socio-demographic and clinical variables of each patient and the administration of 2 questionnaires: 1) Nottingham Health Profile (PSN) and 2) Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) index.

Results: Mean PSN scores indicated a moderate overall deterioration in perceived health in obese patients, the affected areas being "pain", "physical mobility" and "emotional reactions". The variables associated with a poorer score were female sex, age over 50 years, low educational level and the presence of psychiatric pathology or osteoarthritis. The mean total score on the PGWB indicates a small deterioration in psychological well-being. Female gender, anxiety, and a low educational level were also associated with worse scores.

Conclusions: In our population, a profile of obese patients with poor quality of life is identified (women over 50 years of age with a low level of education and the presence of psychiatric pathology or osteoarthritis) on whom the advisability of taking priority action is raised.

Keywords: Obesity. Quality of life. Health survey. Chronic diseases Perceived health. Psychological well-being.