Indicators for evaluating the quality of life of men injured by the consequences of combat actions

Abstract

The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of the responses of war victims to questions of the non-specific "ShortForm-36 Health Status Survey" (SF-36) questionnaire to determine the quality of physical and mental life at the time of filling out the questionnaire. The SF-36 questionnaire is one of the most common methods of measuring health-related quality of life and shows general well-being and the degree of satisfaction with aspects of a person's life that are affected by health. The vast majority of examined men injured as a result of hostilities were aged 30–49. It was found that against the background of a decrease in all indicators on the scales of the physical components of health, the most pronounced changes were recorded in the indicators of general health and role functioning caused by physical condition. In the psychological domain, the most pronounced changes were recorded in such components as mental health, vital activity and social functioning. A number of correlations were established between quality of life indicators in victims of hostilities. The closest probable positive correlation in men injured as a result of hostilities was established between physical functioning and role functioning caused by emotional state (r=+0.64; p<0.05). A positive correlation was also found between general health and physical functioning (r=+0.43; p<0.05), between general health and role functioning caused by emotional state (r=+0.34; p<0.05), a probable positive relationship between mental health and life activity (r=+0.34; p<0.05) and pain intensity (r=+0.42; p<0.05). The correlation between role functioning caused by emotional state and role functioning caused by physical state was negative and amounted to -0.37 (p<0.05).

Keywords: SF-36, physical health, mental health.