Abstract:
Background: In Tanzania like the rest of the world, there is increase of the elderly population in recent years. Studies have showed the elderly are prone to chronic illness like Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), which is a health-related quality of life (HRQoL) deteriorating disease. HRQoL is not only a public health but also a social economic problem and in CKD patients; can represents a functional impact of the disease or its treatment. In spite of recent improvement of CKD patient care in Tanzania, information regarding HRQoL of elderly patients with CKD accessing this service is limited.
Objective: To assess health related quality of life and its determinants among elderly patients with CKD attending follow up clinic at Renal Unit Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH).
Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional research design, conducted on March and April 2019 at renal Unit MNH, a public tertiary care hospital in Dar es Salaam with about 420 patients visits per week at Renal unit. Convenience sampling technique was used to select 151 elderly patients with CKD. Interviewer administered questionnaire technique was used for data collection. Assessment of HRQoL was done by using adapted SF-36. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used for data analysis and determinants were established by using multivariate analysis and their means were comapred using t-test.
Results: A total of 151 elderly patients with CKD were interviewed. Data were complete on 139 and these were included in final analysis. Among the respondents 104 (74.8%) were men and majority of the participants 101 (72.7%) were in the age group between 60-69 years. The overall HRQoL was 46.5. The Role Physical and Role Emotional domains scored lowest, 17.5 and 21.7 respectively. Place of residence, duration of illness and Stage of CKD was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05) associated with HRQoL in this study.
Conclusion: The overall quality of life of elderly patient with CKD seen at Renal Unit at MNH was significantly poor. More alternative advised to improve the HRQoL among elderly patients attending MNH with a focus on relieving emotional and physical symptoms is recommended.
