Health- related quality of life (hrqol) among patients with end-stage kidney diseases in teaching hospitals of Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: The varieties of complex end-stage kidney disease symptoms and management could affect the quality of life (QoL) of patients. The health-related quality of life of end-stage kidney disease patients in resource-limited settings in Africa is not well understood. Objective: This study aims to assess the health-related quality of life of patients with end-stage kidney disease in teaching hospitals in Ethiopia. Methods and materials: A multi-center institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from June 15 to July 15, 2022. A complete census of all 161 eligible participants was undertaken from dialysis units in Ethiopian teaching hospitals. Data on the health-related quality of life was collected using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life short form through face-to-face interviews, and patients' clinical profile was reviewed from patients' card. The collected data were checked, coded, and entered into Epi-data V 4.6 and exported to Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression was done to identify associated factors; p-value < 0.05 at 95% of CI was considered statistically significant. Finally, the result was presented with tables, figures, and text. Result: The overall mean of health-related quality of life was 42.93 (± 12.34), less than half of the patients, 71(46%) of them, having a good health-related quality of life with 42.93 +12.34 mean and standard score respectively. The sub-score of ESKD-targeted, the biggest mean score of 71.33 + 18.42 was the symptom or problem sub-scale with the lowest mean score (13.9 ± 19.6) on the burden of kidney disease (BKD). Being a male (p = 0.036, AOR = 3.5, CI: 1.085, 11.287). The odds of not occupationally having any health-related risk like chemical hazards (p = 0.047, AOR = 5.126; CI: 1.023, 25.685), prescribed medication with less than 3 medications (p = 0.011, AOR = 6.702; CI: 1.542, 29.139). a clinical profile of normal serum phosphorus (p = 0.001, AOR = 10.757; CI: 2.571, 45.012) were positively associated. Whereas, grade 5-8 class of educational level (p = 0.045, AOR = 0.165, CI: 0.028, 0. 0.963), physically disabled or inactive (p = 0.024, AOR = 0.079; CI: 0.009, 0.717) and depressed or anxieties probably present (p = 0.006, AOR = 0.167; CI: 0.047, 0.594) were negatively associated with a good health-related quality of life. Conclusion and Recommendation: A higher proportion of ESKD patients in Ethiopia who received hemodialysis had lower overall HRQOL. Therefore, the quality of life of hemodialysis patients should be given specific attention in addition to clinical treatment throughout their care.