Quality of life of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients under brace treatment: a brief communication of literature review

PURPOSE: To identify the life domains that are most frequently reported to be affected in scoliosis patients undergoing brace treatment. METHODS: A search within the PubMed database was conducted and a total of 60 publications were selected. We classified the studies based on the methods used to measure patients’ quality of life (QoL) and categorized the life domains reported to be affected. RESULTS: Self-image/body configuration was the most reported affected domain of patients’ QoL, identified in 32 papers, whilst mental health/stress was the second most reported affected domain. Mental health was identified in 11 papers, and 11 papers using the BSSQ questionnaire reported medium stress amongst their participants. Vitality was the third most reported affected domain, identified in 12 papers. CONCLUSIONS: Our review indicates that scoliotic adolescents treated with bracing suffer in their quality of life most from psychological burdens. To improve these patients’ life quality, more attention should be focussed on supporting their mental health.