Objectives

Burden of illnesses has been described in the literature using the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with chronic conditions. However, the studies reporting trends of burden are sparse. The aim of this study was to explore the trends of burden of chronic illness from the perspective of HRQoL.

Study design

This was a secondary analysis of administrative database.

Methods

Seven data sets of the Canadian Community Health Survey from 2001 to 2014 were obtained for the analysis. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were used on each data set to assess the burden of illness on the Health Utilities Index Mark III (HUI3), life satisfaction (LS), and perceived health (PH).

Results

People with the effect of stroke constantly had low scores on the HUI3, LS, and PH. Regression analyses revealed that arthritis, back problem, and mood disorder have greater impact on the HUI3 score. Effect of stroke, mood disorder, and anxiety disorder stably had the largest negative impact on LS, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), effect of stroke, and cancer had the largest effect on PH.

Conclusion

This study identified that arthritis, back pain, mood disorder, effect of stroke, and COPD constantly have high burden on health outcomes compared with other chronic condition over the past decade.