Health-related quality of life and its demographic, clinical and psychosocial determinants among male patients with hypertension in a Ghanaian tertiary hospital.

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among male patients with hypertension and its associated demographic, clinical and psychosocial factors.

Design: This was a facility-based cross-sectional study.

Setting: This study was carried out at the outpatient department in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

Participants: Three hundred and fifty-eight hypertensive patients were recruited for this study.

Data collection: Information on socio-demographic characteristics, clinical features, insomnia, medication adherence, psychological distress, sexual dysfunction and HRQoL were obtained through patient-reported measures using structured questionnaires and standardised instruments.

Statistical analysis/main outcome measure: The study assessed HRQoL among male hypertensive patients. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the average scores of the various domains of HRQL across the independent variables. Multivariate linear regression models with robust standard errors were used to determine factors associated with quality of life.

Results: Participants with poor perceived overall HRQoL was 14.0%. Comparatively, HRQoL (mean ± SD) was the least in the physical health domain (56.77±14.33) but the highest in the psychological domain (58.7 ± 16.0). Multivariate linear regression showed that income level, educational level, insomnia, overall satisfaction, sexual desire and medication adherence were significant predictors of HRQoL. Average scores of HRQoL domains reduced with a higher level of sexual desire dysfunction.

Conclusion: HRQoL among male hypertensive patients was negatively affected by insomnia, sexual desire dysfunction, educational level and adherence to antihypertensive medications but positively affected by income level. Clinical practice and policy processes should be directed at these factors to improve HRQoL.

Funding: No external funding.