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Health related quality of life among chronic medical patients with comorbid depression
Last modified: 2021-03-05
Abstract
Background: Health related quality of life have been affected to a greater extent by chronic medical conditions, neurological and psychiatric illnesses. Medical conditions comorbid with psychiatric illness have increased negative effect on the health related quality of life of the affected individuals. However, there is a dearth of data in Ethiopia in this aspect. Therefore, the current study assessed the health related quality of life among chronic medical patients comorbid with depression. Data from this study could be used to institute future intervention.
Methods: An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from May1-June 30/2020 among 377 chronic medical patients comorbid with depression. Consecutive sampling technique was used to select study participants. World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BRIEF) questionnaire was used to measure the health related quality of life (HRQOL). Data was entered using Epi-Info 7 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. . Multiple Linear Regression analysis with P-value 0.05 was used to measure the statistically significant association between Quality of life and independent variables.
Results: Out of the 4 domains, the psychological domain of HRQOL had the lowest mean score 39.73±13.44 and the social domain of HRQOL had the highest score 50.13±18.77. Socio-demographic factors including single and divorced marital status, private employed, merchant, farmer and house wife in occupation, unable to read and write, able to read and write and primary school in educational status were significantly associated with one or more of the HRQOL domains. Diagnosis of epilepsy, history of admission, frequency of follow up treatments, history of medication discontinuation, and personal history of mental illness, depression score, perceived stigma score, moderate social support and history of suicidal ideation were the clinical factors significantly associated with various domains of HRQOL.
Conclusions: The mean score of HRQOL domains among chronic medical patients comorbid with depression was lower indicating the comorbidity had negatively affected quality of life. Many socio-demographic and clinical factors were significantly associated either negatively or positively with quality of life. Thus, integrative medical and psychosocial intervention emphasizing on the contributing factors has paramount importance.
Methods: An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from May1-June 30/2020 among 377 chronic medical patients comorbid with depression. Consecutive sampling technique was used to select study participants. World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BRIEF) questionnaire was used to measure the health related quality of life (HRQOL). Data was entered using Epi-Info 7 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. . Multiple Linear Regression analysis with P-value 0.05 was used to measure the statistically significant association between Quality of life and independent variables.
Results: Out of the 4 domains, the psychological domain of HRQOL had the lowest mean score 39.73±13.44 and the social domain of HRQOL had the highest score 50.13±18.77. Socio-demographic factors including single and divorced marital status, private employed, merchant, farmer and house wife in occupation, unable to read and write, able to read and write and primary school in educational status were significantly associated with one or more of the HRQOL domains. Diagnosis of epilepsy, history of admission, frequency of follow up treatments, history of medication discontinuation, and personal history of mental illness, depression score, perceived stigma score, moderate social support and history of suicidal ideation were the clinical factors significantly associated with various domains of HRQOL.
Conclusions: The mean score of HRQOL domains among chronic medical patients comorbid with depression was lower indicating the comorbidity had negatively affected quality of life. Many socio-demographic and clinical factors were significantly associated either negatively or positively with quality of life. Thus, integrative medical and psychosocial intervention emphasizing on the contributing factors has paramount importance.