Title : Chronic cough and its impact on quality of life among adults in Erbil: A cross sectional study
Abstract:
Background: Chronic cough, defined as a cough lasting more than eight weeks, is a common and often distressing condition that can significantly impair patients’ quality of life. Beyond its physical symptoms, chronic cough may lead to psychological distress and social limitations, yet these aspects are frequently under-recognized, particularly in low- and middle-income settings. This study aimed to assess the impact of chronic cough on physical, psychological, and social domains of quality of life and to examine differences according to demographic characteristics, cough duration, smoking status, and underlying etiology.
Methods: This retrospective study included 300 adult patients with chronic cough. Data were collected from a private clinic and documented by a senior physician. Quality of life was assessed using the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ). Sociodemographic and clinical variables, including age, sex, smoking status, cough duration, and etiology, were recorded. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel. Independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA were used to compare LCQ scores between groups, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: The mean age of participants was 42.4 ± 16.8 years, and 51% were female. The mean duration of cough was 30.9 ± 19.1 months. Overall LCQ scores indicated a moderate impairment in quality of life, with mean scores of 3.36 ± 0.64 (physical), 3.10 ± 0.71 (psychological), and 3.16 ± 0.93 (social). Tiredness and sleep disturbance were the most affected physical symptoms. Psychological burden was mainly reflected by anxiety, embarrassment, and frustration, while social functioning was most affected in work performance and daily activities. Longer cough duration (>24 months), smoking, and younger age were associated with significantly worse psychological and social scores (p < 0.001). The greatest quality-of-life impairment was observed among patients with interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, and laryngocarcinoma.
Conclusion: Chronic cough has a substantial multidimensional impact on quality of life, extending beyond physical symptoms to psychological and social well-being. The severity of impairment varies according to cough duration, smoking status, age, and etiology.
