Hepatic schistosomiasis, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and health related quality of life measurements from the Albert Nile Basin
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of patient-reported outcomes
Abstract
Health related quality of life measurements are vital elements of public health surveillance that
uncover unmet health needs and predict the success of health interventions. We described health related quality
of life measurements using the EuroQoL 5-dimension (EQ-VAS/EQ-5D) instrument and associated factors among
patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) and hepatic schistosomiasis at a rural health facility in the Albert
Nile Basin, Uganda.
Methods and materials: This was a cross-sectional study at Pakwach Health Centre IV. Participants included adult
inpatients and outpatients with a history of UGIB and ultrasound evidence of hepatic schistosomiasis. We evaluated
and recorded each participant’s medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests results, ultrasound results, and
endoscopy findings. We also recorded health related quality of life measurements using the EuroQoL 5-dimension
instrument and derived disability weights from EQ-VAS and EQ-5D measurements. These were our dependent variables.
Descriptive and inferential statistics were generated summarizing our findings.
Results: We found 103 participants had a history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and hepatosplenic schistosomiasis.
Sixty percent were between the ages of 30–49 years, 59% were females, 74% were farmers, 92% had splenomegaly,
88% had varices at endoscopy, 22% were medical emergencies with acute variceal upper gastrointestinal
bleeding, and 62% had anemia. Measures of the different dimensions of health from 101 participants with patient
reported outcomes revealed 77 (76%) participants experienced problems in self-care, 89 (88%) participants reported
anxiety or depression, and 89 (88%) participants experienced pain or discomfort. The median EQ-VAS derived disability
weights and median EQ-5D index-derived disability weights were 0.3 and 0.34, respectively. Acute upper
gastrointestinal bleeding, praziquantel drug treatment, and age by decade predicted higher EQ-VAS derived disability
weights (p value < 0.05). Under weight (Body mass index ≤ 18.5), acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding, ascites, age by
decade, female gender, and praziquantel drug treatment predicted higher EQ-5D index- derived disability weights (p
value < 0.05).
Conclusion: Adult patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding and hepatic schistosomiasis from this primary
health facility experience poor health and considerable health loss. Several factors predicted increased health loss. These factors probably represent key areas of health intervention towards mitigating increased health loss in this
population.
Description
Keywords
Health related quality of life measurements, Disability weights, Upper gastrointestinal bleeding, Schistosomiasis, EQ-5D/EQ-VAS
Citation
Opio, C. K., Kazibwe, F., Rejani, L., Kabatereine, N. B., & Ocama, P. (2021). Hepatic schistosomiasis, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and health related quality of life measurements from the Albert Nile Basin. Journal of patient-reported outcomes, 5(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-021-00389-9