Abstract
Objectives. To determine the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for young renal transplant patient using SF-36 survey scores and compare the result with a group of older renal transplant patients .
Methods. A total of 131 young and 30 older renal transplant patients were included in this study. The scale scores of the SF-36 survey concerning HRQOL were compared between the two groups of patients. Socio-demographic and clinical data were also collected.
Results. We found no significant differences in HRQOL between the young and the older transplant patients. In the group of young transplant, we found significant differences on SF-36 scores in gender, worksituation, comorbidity, time after transplantation, time in dialysis, donor status and adverse effects.
Conclusions. The SF-36 health survey is a short but comprehensive scale for evaluating a patient`s HRQOL. The most important factor affecting HRQOL was comorbidity. Other significant factors were gender, time with transplant, time in dialysis, donor status, work situation, comorbidity and adverse effects. Differences in the HRQOL within transplant patients did not appear to be as a result of pasient`s age, but rather would appear to be a consequence of factors mention above.