Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (including extensively-drug resistant tuberculosis) and its treatment, has multi-dimensional effects on patients’ lives. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a patient reported outcome measure, which has been defined to include physical, psychological, emotional, social well-being and role functioning and the perceptions thereof. Measuring HRQoL is important because functional capacity, well-being and the experience of illness are more important to patients than mere bacteriological cure. The aim of this study is to assess the HRQoL among multi-drug resistant tuberculosis patients in Mumbai, India and associated factors while exploring their perspectives about HRQoL. It was concluded that health related quality of life was lower among study participants than reported in healthy people, but not as low as previously reported among TB patients. With good quality care and support, patients can live a reasonably good quality of life.
