QUALITY OF LIFE, LEVEL OF ANXIETY AND SUICIDAL RISK IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS С AND LIVER CIRRHOSIS
Aim : to assess the quality of life, level of anxiety and suicidal risk in patients with chronic liver diseases. Material and methods. 220 people aged 16-84 took part in the study. The main group consisted of 100 patients suffering from chronic viral hepatitis C (CVHC). Other groups included 60 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 60 practically healthy people. The quality of life was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire. To assess the level of anxiety, we used the scale developed by Zung in 1971. As an additional method of assessment of suicidal risk The Sad Persons Scale was used. Results. The parameters of 5 out of 8 scales of the SF-36 questionnaire in the patients with CVHC appeared to be statistically considerably lower in comparison with the parameters of quality of life in practically healthy people. The parameter of physical activity was lower and the parameter of social activity was higher in the patients with liver cirrhosis than in the patients with CVHC. The general level of anxiety in the patients with CVHC was low - 36.4 ± 0.53 points, in practically healthy people - 30.8 ± 0.85 (p < 0.01). The level of anxiety in the patients with liver cirrhosis was 45.0 ± 1.7 points, which corresponded to the average level of anxiety. The average value of suicidal risk (SR) in the control group was 1.76 ± 0.15 points. The average value of SR in the group of the patients with CVHC was 2.71 ± 0.11 points, which indicates a low level of SR. The average value of SR in the group of the patients with LC was 3.39 ± 0.09 points, which corresponded to the average level of SR. Conclusion. Patients with chronic liver diseases observe dramatically decreasing physical and social activity, emotional status, subjective assessment of emotional state, mood and, on the whole, general state of health. The average level of anxiety in the patients with liver cirrhosis corresponded to the average level of anxiety. The patients with liver cirrhosis revealed average level of suicidal risk, which was low in the patients with chronic viral hepatitis C.