Health-related quality of life and its predictors among people living with epilepsy at Dessie Referral Hospital, Amhara, Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: Health-related quality of life of people living with epilepsy is significantly impaired. The disease causes a significant psychological and social impact on daily living conditions and usually has lifelong consequences for the patient and family. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the health-related quality of life of people living with epilepsy and its predictors in Dessie Referral Hospital, Dessie, Ethiopia. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2020. Systematic random sampling was used to recruit a total of 385 study participants. Written informed consent was obtained for each participant, and data were collected using World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, while multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine factors affecting the quality of life. P value <= 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: About 95.80% of the study participants had a generalized seizure, and 64.30% were on two antiepileptic drugs. Of the total, 12.20% and 37.00% suffered from depression and anxiety, respectively, based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score. The mean total health-related quality of life score was 51.98 (standard deviation: +/- 10.08; 95% confidence interval: 41.90-62.06) out of 100. Age, education level, marital status, occupation, residence, current comorbidity, family support, and recreational activities were associated with good health-related quality of life (p <= 0.05) Conclusion: The average overall quality of life of people living with epilepsy in the Dessie Referral Hospital was low. Therefore, concerted efforts must be made to improve the quality of life of patients over the healthcare services provided.