Health-Related Quality of Life and Its Determinants Among Hypertensive Patients in Southwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Hypertension (HTN) increases mortality, healthcare costs, and disability, posing a major global public health challenge and reducing health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Therefore, this study aimed to assess the HRQoL and its associated factors among hypertensive patients at selected hospitals in southwest Ethiopia.

A cross-sectional study conducted among 385 patients in three hospitals in southwest Ethiopia (May-July 2022) assessed HRQoL using the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36). Physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores were calculated separately. Linear regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the physical and mental health summaries of HRQoL, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

The PCS score was 70.6 ± 22.8, whereas the MCS score was 56.4 ± 12.7. Factors associated with PCS included advanced age (β = -0.54, p < 0.001), female sex (β = -3.69, p = 0.040), higher income (β = 0.0015, p = 0.001), larger family size (β = -2.35, p < 0.001), absence of comorbidity (β = 12.6, p < 0.001), Stage II HTN (β = -4.59, p = 0.047), and Stage III HTN (β = -15.8, p < 0.001). Factors associated with MCS included advanced age (β = -0.42, p < 0.001), female sex (β = -3.40, p = 0.007), higher income (β = 0.0001, p = 0.042), and Stage III HTN (β = -7.16, p = 0.023).

Hypertensive patients had lower HRQoL across all domains. PCS and MCS scores declined with increasing age, female sex, low income, and greater HTN severity. Targeted interventions, including comorbidity management and blood pressure control, are vital to improving their quality of life.