Chronic Diseases and Health Related Quality of Life in South and Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review of Burden, Interventions, and Measurement Tools.

Authors

Fardina Rahman Omi, Farhana Zaman, S M Saidur Rahman Mashreky

Published in

Health science reports. Volume 9. Issue 8. Pages e72856. Epub Jul 25, 2026.

Abstract

In South and Southeast Asia, chronic diseases (CD) are a major public health concern and have a considerable impact on people's quality of life (QoL). CD and their ailments place a dual burden of sickness and socioeconomic difficulties on afflicted people and healthcare systems.
This review aims to provide a comprehensive synthesis of evidence on the relationship between chronic diseases and HRQoL in the region, focusing on study populations, disease types, methodologies, sample sizes, and assessment tools used.
A systematic search was conducted to identify studies published between 2014 and 2024 that assessed HRQoL among patients with CD in South and Southeast Asia. Eligible studies included cross-sectional, observational, prospective cohort, and economic evaluation designs involving conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes mellitus, sarcopenia, cardiovascular diseases, breast cancer, and hepatitis C. Data extracted included study design, sample size, participant characteristics, and validated HRQoL measurement instruments.
Twenty-five studies conducted across multiple South and Southeast Asian countries were included. Sample sizes ranged from 99 to 816 participants. A variety of validated instruments were used to assess HRQoL, including the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL), WHOQOL-BREF, and Short Form-36 (SF-36). Overall, CD were consistently associated with reduced HRQoL, with variations influenced by disease severity, comorbidities, and socioeconomic status. Specific challenges included reduced functional capacity among patients with sarcopenia and significant decisional conflict among patients with CKD. In addition, economic evaluations, particularly for hepatitis C treatments using direct-acting antivirals, highlighted important cost-effectiveness considerations.
CD negatively affect HRQoL, which is influenced by disease severity, sociocultural factors, and barriers to healthcare access. Community-based disease management, telemedicine, culturally tailored health education, and financial protection policies may improve outcomes. Future studies should assess the effectiveness and scalability of these interventions across diverse regional settings.

PMID:
42504231
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 27 Jul 2026.

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