Health related quality of life and associated factors among adult patients with epilepsy attending Mizan Tepi University Teaching Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Introduction: In Ethiopia more than 1 million people are estimated to have epilepsy and it remains to be the most prevalent, neglected, and serious neurological disorder. Epilepsy is a devastating disorder that impacts on patients' quality of life. This study assessed health related quality of life and associated factors among patients with epilepsy Mizan Tepi University Teaching Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia, 2019. Methods: This is an institution-based cross-sectional study conducted from February 25 to April 6, 2019. A total of 346 patients with epilepsy who visited the clinic for follow-up for at least 3 months and who were 18 years or older were included in the study. Study subjects were selected using simple random sampling technique. Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory 31 was used to assess quality of life. Multivariable linear regression was employed to identify associated factors with health related quality of life among patients with epilepsy. Results: A total of 340 (98.3%) patients with epilepsy participated in the study. The mean score of health related quality of life was 55.6 (SD=20.9). Age (β=-0.35, 95%CI:-0.46,-0.23), anxiety (β=-6.79, 95%CI:-9.26,-4.32), depression (β=-7.36, 95%CI:-10.16,-4.55), low self-esteem (β=- 5.29, 95%CI:-8.07,-2.51), perceived stigma (β=-3.62,95%CI:-6.30,-0.94), taking medication twice or more times per day (β=-2.4, 95%CI: -4.58, -0.27), being illiterate (β=-4.1, 95%CI:- 6.87,-1.31) and having more than two seizures for a year (β=-4.18, 95%CI:-6.97,-1.39) were inversely associated with health related quality of life while income of >1000 birr per month (β=4.5, 95%CI:2.00, 6.99), social support (β=0.34, 95%CI:0.27, 0.40) and being free of seizure for a year (β=6.5, 95%CI:3.66,9.33) were directly associated with health related quality of life. Conclusion: The mean health related quality of life score of patients with epilepsy in Mizan Tepi University Teaching Hospital is low. Health related quality of life was inversely associated with age, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, perceived stigma, taking medication twice or more times per day, being illiterate and having more than two seizures for a year. Besides controlling of seizure, public educational campaigns should be conducted in order to raise awareness of the public regarding the need of social support, educational and economic opportunities and eliminate the stigma of epilepsy