The health and resource utilization of Canadians with chronic rhinosinusitis

Objectives: To determine the impact of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) on the physical and mental health and health-resource utilization of Canadians. Study Design: Cross-sectional. Methods: Data from the detailed health portion of cycle 3 (1998-1999) of the National Population Health Survey (NPHS), which involved 17,000 Canadians, were used to evaluate Canadians with selfreported CRS. Results: NPHS data confirmed lower mental and physical health, with CRS sufferers being almost three times more likely to report their health as poor (4.6% vs. 1.7%). Health Utility Index data identified a significant decline in the mental health of patients with CRS, which was associated with more depression (8.4% vs. 4.1%), more antidepressant use (9.1% vs. 4.6%), and more visits to mental-health professionals (11.8% vs. 7.0%). Conclusions: CRS significantly affects both physical and mental health. The mental impact of CRS remains largely unrecognized and should be of greater focus during patient care and in further research.