Dataset Information

Measuring the physical and economic impact of filarial lymphoedema in Chikwawa district, Malawi: a case-control study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is one of the primary causes of lymphoedema in sub-Saharan Africa, and has a significant impact on the quality of life (QoL) of those affected. In this paper we assess the relative impact of lymphoedema on mobility and income in Chikwawa district, Malawi.

Methods

A random sample of 31 people with lymphoedema and 31 matched controls completed a QoL questionnaire from which both an overall and a mobility-specific score were calculated. Two mobility tests were undertaken, namely the 10 m walking test [10MWT] and timed up and go [TUG] test, and a subset of 10 cases-control pairs wore GPS data loggers for 3 weeks to measure their mobility in a more natural setting. Retrospective economic data was collected from all 31 case-control pairs, and each participant undertaking the GPS activity recorded daily earnings and health expenditure throughout the observation period.

Results

Cases had a significantly poorer overall QoL (cases?=?32.2, controls?=?6.0, P?2, controls?=?2.10 km², P?=?0.16). Cases reported earning less than half that earned by controls per week (cases?=?$0.70, controls?=?$1.86, P?=?0.064), with a smaller proportion of their earnings (16% vs 22%, P?=?0.461) being spent on healthcare.

Conclusions

Those affected by lymphoedema are at a clear disadvantage to their unaffected peers, experiencing a lower QoL as confirmed by both subjective and objective mobility measures, and lower income. This study also indicates that objective measures of mobility may be a useful supplement to self-assessed QoL questionnaires when assessing the future impact of lymphoedema management interventions.

SUBMITTER: Stanton MC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5376674 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Measuring the physical and economic impact of filarial lymphoedema in Chikwawa district, Malawi: a case-control study.

Stanton Michelle C MC Yamauchi Masato M Mkwanda Square Z SZ Ndhlovu Paul P Matipula Dorothy Emmie DE Mackenzie Charles C Kelly-Hope Louise A LA

Infectious diseases of poverty 20170403 1

<h4>Background</h4>Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is one of the primary causes of lymphoedema in sub-Saharan Africa, and has a significant impact on the quality of life (QoL) of those affected. In this paper we assess the relative impact of lymphoedema on mobility and income in Chikwawa district, Malawi.<h4>Methods</h4>A random sample of 31 people with lymphoedema and 31 matched controls completed a QoL questionnaire from which both an overall and a mobility-specific score were calculated. Two mobili ...[more]

PMID: 28366168

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Dataset Information

Measuring the physical and economic impact of filarial lymphoedema in Chikwawa district, Malawi: a case-control study.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Measuring the physical and economic impact of filarial lymphoedema in Chikwawa district, Malawi: a case-control study.

Similar Datasets

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