Health-related quality of life in Chinese kidney transplant recipients assessed by Chinese medicine quality of life-11 dimensions (CQ-11D)

Abstract Background Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) is a key concern influenced by physiological, social, and cultural factors. However, yet commonly used assessment tools in previous studies do not adequately capture the unique sociocultural context of Chinese populations. The objective of this study was to assess the HRQoL in KTRs using the CQ-11D questionnaire and analyze factors associated with HRQoL to enhance the HRQoL of KTRs. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study. Data were collected from two tertiary hospitals in Beijing and Changsha, China. Demographic and clinical data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The CQ-11D was used to measure HRQoL. Other scales, including the Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), were used to assess TCM constitution, psychological distress, and sleep quality, respectively. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 26.0, including bivariate analysis, generalized linear models, and multiple regression analysis. Results A total of 215 KTRs were enrolled. The median CQ-11D health utility value was 0.918. There were differences across the 11 dimensions of the CQ-11D in KTRs. After the age of 40, the proportion of reported problems generally increased with age. This trend was particularly evident in dimensions such as SY, SM, and JS, where individuals over 50 reported significantly more problems than other age groups. The biased constitutions and poor sleep quality were associated with a higher likelihood of reporting problems in most CQ-11D dimensions. Factors such as sleep quality, TCM constitution, and regular exercise were significantly associated with HRQoL. Conclusion Sleep quality, TCM constitution, and regular physical activity were associated with HRQoL of KTRs. Healthcare professionals should prioritize interventions targeting these factors, especially in older KTRs and those with a biased constitution, to improve their HRQoL.