ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current status of quality of life( QOL) in patients with occupational pneumoconiosis,and explore the effects of the social demographic data and disease-related information on their QOL.METHODS: By the convenience sampling method,144 male patients with occupational pneumoconiosis were selected. The St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire( SGRQ) was used in the study and the stepwise regression analysis method was used to analyze the influencing factors of QOL in these patients. RESULTS: The SGRQ total score was( 60. 0 ± 18. 0),respiratory symptom dimension score was( 61. 2 ± 19. 7),limitation of motion dimension score was( 64. 0 ± 21. 5) and the disease influence dimension score was( 57. 7 ± 19. 5). The QOL of 52. 08%( 75 /144) of the patients were below the average level. The stage of pneumoconiosis was positively correlated with SGRQ total score and the above three dimension scores( P < 0. 01). The length of disease was negatively correlated with respiratory symptom dimension score( P < 0. 05);the educational level was negatively correlated with limitation of motion dimension score( P < 0. 01); the lung function was positively correlated with limitation of motion dimension score( P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: The QOL of patients with pneumoconiosis was below the average level. The stage of pneumoconiosis,length of diagnosis,the educational level and lung function are the important factors affecting the QOL of these patients.