Relative to the general US population, chronic diseases are associated with poorer health-related quality of life as measured by the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)

Objectives: The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) allows assessment of the impact of chronic conditions on health-related quality of life (HRQL) across diseases. We report on the HRQL impact of individual and comorbid conditions as well as conditions that are described as limiting activity.

Study design and setting: Data were collected through online and clinic recruitment as part of the PROMIS item calibration sample (n=21,133). Participants reported the presence or absence of 24 chronic health conditions and whether their activity was limited by each condition.

Results: Across health status domains, the presence of a chronic condition was associated with poorer scores than those without a diagnosis, particularly for those individuals who reported that their condition was disabling. The magnitude of detriment in HRQL was more pronounced for individuals with two or more chronic conditions and could not be explained by sociodemographic factors. Patterns of HRQL deficits varied across disease and comorbidity status.

Conclusion: The impact of chronic conditions, particularly when experienced with comorbid disease, is associated with detriments in HRQL. The negative impact on HRQL varies across symptoms and functional areas within a given condition.