Abstract
Introduction
Proxy assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) can be an alternative to self reporting in elderly patients with cognitive or physical impairment. However, over- and underestimation by the proxies is reported. The aim of the present study was to examine the agreement of HRQoL answers between old Japanese patients and their close relatives.
Materials and methods
In a clinical study about trochanteric fractures, HRQoL was assessed using the SF36v2. A sample of 27 questionnaires were completed via telephone interview twice on the same day: once by the patients themselves, and once by a close relative. Assessments were performed at either 6 or 12 mo after surgery. The reliability of the SF36v2 dimensions and of the 2 component summary measures was assessed by Intraclass Correlation Coefficients.
Results
The mean difference in responses between patients and relatives ranged from 0 (95%CI 0;0) for Social Functioning (SF) and Role-Emotional (RE) to 1.1 (95%CI-0.4;2.6) for Mental Health. Strong correlation between assessments by patients and those by their proxies ranging from 0.878 (95%CI 0.751;0.943) for vitality to 1.000 (95%CI 1.000;1.000) for SF and RE was found for all eight dimension scores and the two component summary measures.
Discussion
Proxy answers from Japanese relatives of elderly patients with hip fractures regarding HRQoL seem reliable and might be used for quality-of-life reporting when patients cannot answer for themselves.
