Health related quality of life (HRQOL) from the perspective of patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) in Sweden.

Abstract

Background: The current study investigated Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD) and health related quality of life (HRQOL) from the perspective of Swedish patients. Another aim was to assess medicine consumption and income loss due to WAD.

Method: The present study was a planned secondary analysis using baseline data from a prospective, multicentre randomized controlled trial. The study participants were WAD patients, victims of four-wheel motor vehicle collisions at least six months but not more than five years ago. Neck Disability Index and HRQOL were measured. HRQOL was measured by the EQ-5D instrument. Cross tabulations, Box Plots, and regression analyses were performed.

Trial registration section: The study was registered before data collection started (ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol ID: NCT03022812, initial release 12/20/2016).

Results: There were 137 WAD participants (78.8% women), and almost three-fourths (74.5%) were married. The majority (54.7%) of the WAD patients were in white-collar jobs, followed by blue-collar jobs (35%) and students /unemployed (10.2%). Both consumption of medicine for neck pain and income loss due to WAD have a negative relation with the Neck Disability Index (NDI). On average, EQ-VAS for WAD women is 58.21 (± 17.625), and for men, it is 61.11 (± 16.444). WAD patients with a university education have the highest EQ-VAS average of 60.42 (± 17.738).

Conclusions: The low HRQOL seen in WAD patients in this study should warrant the attention of the medical fraternity, researchers and policymakers.