Prevalence, severity and impacts of breathlessness in Indian adults : An exploratory, nationally representative, cross-sectional online survey
(2024) In PLOS global public health 4(5 May).- Abstract
There are no known estimates of the prevalence, severity and impacts from breathlessness in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to explore the prevalence, severity, self-attributed underlying conditions and impacts of breathlessness limiting exertion in community-dwelling adults in India. This exploratory, population-based online survey recruited a pre-planned sample of 3,000 adult respondents stratified by age, sex and rurality (quotas as per the 2011 Indian National Census). Measures included: demographics; breathlessness limiting exertion (modified Medical Research [mMRC] scale); health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L); and disability (World Health Organisation’s Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 12-item... (More)
There are no known estimates of the prevalence, severity and impacts from breathlessness in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to explore the prevalence, severity, self-attributed underlying conditions and impacts of breathlessness limiting exertion in community-dwelling adults in India. This exploratory, population-based online survey recruited a pre-planned sample of 3,000 adult respondents stratified by age, sex and rurality (quotas as per the 2011 Indian National Census). Measures included: demographics; breathlessness limiting exertion (modified Medical Research [mMRC] scale); health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L); and disability (World Health Organisation’s Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 12-item questionnaire [WHODAS-12]). Respondents (n = 3,046) had a mean age of 38 years (SD 15); 57% were male, 59% lived in rural areas and 33% had completed 12th grade. Breathlessness limiting exertion (mMRC ≥1) was reported by 44%, mostly attributed to poor nutrition (28%), lung conditions excluding tuberculosis (17%) or anaemia (13%). Compared to those without breathlessness, a higher proportion of people with breathlessness (mMRC ≥1) reported problems across all EQ-5D-5L dimensions. Most people reporting breathlessness (81%) indicated the symptom had adversely affected their normal activities. Disability scores (WHODAS-12 total and individual domains) increased as breathlessness worsened. To conclude, in India, conservative estimates indicate 626 million people live with breathlessness of whom 52 million people live with severe breathlessness. The symptom is associated with poorer health-related quality of life and marked disability, including reduced ability to perform daily activities.
(Less)
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-05
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- PLOS global public health
- volume
- 4
- issue
- 5 May
- article number
- e0002655
- publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:38696528
- scopus:85195520813
- ISSN
- 2767-3375
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002655
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- daac5a84-b9f6-44e4-8e72-ca61310f0101
- date added to LUP
- 2024-08-19 14:19:24
- date last changed
- 2024-08-20 03:11:39
@article{daac5a84-b9f6-44e4-8e72-ca61310f0101, abstract = {{<p>There are no known estimates of the prevalence, severity and impacts from breathlessness in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to explore the prevalence, severity, self-attributed underlying conditions and impacts of breathlessness limiting exertion in community-dwelling adults in India. This exploratory, population-based online survey recruited a pre-planned sample of 3,000 adult respondents stratified by age, sex and rurality (quotas as per the 2011 Indian National Census). Measures included: demographics; breathlessness limiting exertion (modified Medical Research [mMRC] scale); health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L); and disability (World Health Organisation’s Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 12-item questionnaire [WHODAS-12]). Respondents (n = 3,046) had a mean age of 38 years (SD 15); 57% were male, 59% lived in rural areas and 33% had completed 12<sup>th</sup> grade. Breathlessness limiting exertion (mMRC ≥1) was reported by 44%, mostly attributed to poor nutrition (28%), lung conditions excluding tuberculosis (17%) or anaemia (13%). Compared to those without breathlessness, a higher proportion of people with breathlessness (mMRC ≥1) reported problems across all EQ-5D-5L dimensions. Most people reporting breathlessness (81%) indicated the symptom had adversely affected their normal activities. Disability scores (WHODAS-12 total and individual domains) increased as breathlessness worsened. To conclude, in India, conservative estimates indicate 626 million people live with breathlessness of whom 52 million people live with severe breathlessness. The symptom is associated with poorer health-related quality of life and marked disability, including reduced ability to perform daily activities.</p>}}, author = {{Kochovska, Slavica and Iyer, Rajam and Chang, Sungwon and Ferreira, Diana and Brunelli, Vanessa N. and Kinchin, Irina and Eckert, Danny J. and Clark, Joseph and Sandberg, Jacob and Ekström, Magnus and Currow, David and Rajan, Sujeet}}, issn = {{2767-3375}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{5 May}}, publisher = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}}, series = {{PLOS global public health}}, title = {{Prevalence, severity and impacts of breathlessness in Indian adults : An exploratory, nationally representative, cross-sectional online survey}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0002655}}, doi = {{10.1371/journal.pgph.0002655}}, volume = {{4}}, year = {{2024}}, }