ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In assessing the health-related quality of life of subjects with allergy, it is important to measure outcomes which are relevant to the concerns of patients. The goals of this study were to compare health-related quality of life and stress level among allergy, healthy and other-diseases groups, and also to compare the relationship of health-related quality of life and stress. METHOD: The study group consisted of 129 subjects with allergy, 139 healthy subjects and 68 subjects with other-diseases. The allergy group was divided into two sub groups: pure allergy group(65) and allergy group with other diseases(64). They completed a questionnaire measuring perceived health-related quality of life, stress and demographic characteristics. The health-related quality of life score was measured by Notingham Health Profile and the stress level was measured by Ok-Suk Lee's instrument. RESULTS: (1) In allergy group with other diseases, the total scores of health-related quality of life were significantly higher than for healthy, pure allergy and other-diseases groups. The results indicated that the perceived health-related quality of life of allergy group with other diseases was in the lowest status among the four groups. (2) Forty-two percent of allergy group with other diseases were in need of treatment for stress level. (3) Level of stress and scores of health-related quality of life have shared linear correlation in healthy and allergy group; higher stress indicates lower status in the quality of life for both groups. CONCLUSION: This study was examined the QOL and the stress level of allergy subjects. When compared with healthy and other-diseases groups, the scores of QOL and the level of stress of the pure allergy group were higher than those of the healthy group, and those of the allergy group with other diseases were also significantly higher than those of the other-diseases group. These results suggest a necessity for futher assessment to improve the QOL and to reduce the stress in allergy subjects.