Illness perceptions, coping, and health-related quality of life among individuals experiencing chronic Lyme disease.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to examine illness perceptions and coping in relation to the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among individuals experiencing chronic Lyme disease (CLD).

METHODS

Participants were 82 individuals who had a confirmed diagnosis of Lyme disease and had been experiencing symptoms for 6 months or more. They were recruited through various online mechanisms (e.g., social media, online support groups), and they completed the consent form and questionnaires via Qualtrics. Participants completed questions about their demographics and health status as well as the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised (Moss-Morris et al., 2002), the Brief COPE (Carver, 1997), and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36; Ware & Sherbourne, 1992).

RESULTS

Illness perceptions and coping explained a significant amount of variance in HRQOL. Among the illness perceptions, the consequences and identity dimensions were most strongly associated with HRQOL. Behavioral disengagement and substance use were the coping strategies most strongly associated with the emotional health outcomes.

DISCUSSION: Illness perceptions and coping are related to HRQOL among individuals with CLD. Given the increase in Lyme disease incidence and the chronicity of symptoms in some cases, it is critical to continue to examine the psychosocial factors associated with HRQOL in this population.