Health-related quality of life in young adults with minor congenital heart disease

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Abstract
The present study examined the social impediments experienced by young adults with minor congenital heart disease (CHD) and compared the health status and health-related quality of life of these CHD-patients with a matched group (age, sex) from the general population. Young adults with minor CHD, not in need of surgical correction, were sent a questionnaire. Results showed that a substantial part of the CHD-patients experienced social impediments, i.e. at school (19%), during free time (15%), in choosing (13%) or performing a job (9%), with medical examinations for job/insurance (19%), and taking out a life insurance policy (8%). Those CHD-patients that experienced social impediments reported a health status and health-related quality of life comparable with the general population. Remarkably, CHD-patients without social impediments reported a better health-related quality of life for 6 of the 12 scales, when compared with the general population. This last result might be explained by coping mechanisms resulting in a higher appreciation of health status which is expressed in a higher health related quality of life.

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