engleski

The impact of onychomycosis on quality of life – cross-sectional study in Eastern Croatia

Background. Onychomycosis is a common chronic disease that has a considerable impact on the patients' quality of life. Aim. To determine the impact of onychomycosis on the quality of life and to evaluate the relationship between the quality of patients' life and their gender, age, localization and the extent of the onychomycosis as well as the coexistence of chronic diseases with onychomycosis. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted during January to April 2014, among 101 general practitioners' patients with onychomycosis from the city of Osijek, Eastern Croatia. An anonymous nail-specific quality of life questionnaire which contained questions related to the overall quality of life and its particular segments (social and emotional functioning and physical health) as well as additional questions related to gender, age, localization and extent of the onychomycosis, and the coexistence of chronic diseases with onychomycosis, was used as a research tool. Results. Study confirmed that onychomycosis significantly affected overall quality of patients' life. No statistical difference was found in perceived overall quality of patients' life regarding gender, age, localization of the onychomycosis and coexistence of chronic diseases with onychomycosis while the statistical significant difference was found in perceived overall quality of patients' life and all of its particular segments regarding extent of the onychomycosis. Conclusion. The study confirm that onychomycosis has considerable impact on the quality of patients' life highlighting the quality of life as a very important issue in the daily work with patients suffering from onychomycosis and other dermatological diseases in the general medicine setting.

onychomycosis; general medicine; quality of life; Osijek; Croatia

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