Predictors of quality of life of older persons in rural Uganda: A cross sectional study

The impact of geriatric syndromes on quality of life among older people living with HIV in Kampala, Uganda

Objective

Older people living with HIV (OPWH) often have lower quality of life (QoL) compared to general population. Measuring their QoL is an important step in HIV care to ensure they have long healthy lives. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life and its associated factors among people living with HIV aged 60 years and above in Uganda.

Methods

We used a cross-sectional analysis of older people living with HIV (OPWH) enrolled in a prospective cohort from December 2020 - December 2021. Quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organisation QoL OLD instrument (WHOQOL-OLD). Linear regression model was used to determine associated factors.

Results

Of the 500 participants enrolled, 51.2% were men and their median age was 64 years (IQR: 62 - 68). WHOQOL-OLD mean score (SD) was 90.1 (8.3) out of 120. Factors that increased overall QoL were (Coefficient [95% Confidence Interval]): being male 2.35 (1.21 - 3.73), having an income of ≥$1 1.30 (-0.16 - 2.76) and paradoxically having more than 2 non-communicable diseases 0.69 (-0.76 - 2.14) in the past, present and future domain of QoL. Those that decreased QoL in the overall and various domains included: an increasing number of geriatric syndromes, depression, pre-frailty, frailty, malnutrition, and low physical function.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that financial stability contributed to good QoL while geriatric syndromes decreased QoL for OPWH. Integrating the screening and management of geriatric syndromes into HIV care has the potential to improve the overall QoL of OPWH.

The association of care satisfaction and COVID-19 contact restrictions with quality of life in long-term care homes residents in Germany: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Quality of life (QoL) is a widely recognised outcome in residents of long-term care homes. However, little is known about the impact of care satisfaction on QoL. The aim of this study was to assess the association between care satisfaction and QoL in residents of long-term care homes. Additionally, we were able to assess the impact of the Covid-19 contact restrictions on QoL.

METHODS

We applied a cross-sectional study in N = 40 long-term care homes in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany. Using regression models, we analysed the association between QoL (operationalised through the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment-Old Module [WHOQOL-OLD]) and self-rated nursing care satisfaction. The date on which the questionnaire was completed was used to calculate whether the completion was prior the emergence of the Covid-19 contact restrictions. Further potential confounders were included in the analysis.

RESULTS

N = 419 residents of long-term care homes participated. Explained variance of QoL was low in our models at 2 to 16%. Self-rated nursing care satisfaction was the strongest predictor of QoL and positively linked to the following subdimensions of QoL: autonomy; past, present and future activities; social participation; intimacy. The Covid-19 contact restrictions were negatively linked to social participation.

CONCLUSION

Nursing care satisfaction was associated with QoL in residents of long-term care homes. Future research should focus on the direction of the association and different aspects of nursing care satisfaction with QoL. Furthermore, we showed the impact of contact restriction during the Covid-19 lockdown on social participation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

WHO UTN: U1111-1196-6611; DRKS-ID: DRKS00012703 (Date of Registration in DRKS: 2017/08/23).

Mental health and well-being of older adults living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

In this systematic review, we aimed to summarise the empirical evidence on common mental disorders (CMDs), cognitive impairment, frailty and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among people living with HIV aged ≥50 years (PLWH50 +) residing in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Specifically, we document the prevalence and correlates of these outcomes.

DESIGN, DATA SOURCES AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The following online databases were systematically searched: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase and Scopus up to January 2021. English-language publications on depression, anxiety, cognitive function, frailty and quality of life among PLWH50+ residing in SSA were included.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

We extracted information, including study characteristics and main findings. These were tabulated, and a narrative synthesis approach was adopted, given the substantial heterogeneity among included studies.

RESULTS

A total of 50 studies from fifteen SSA countries met the inclusion criteria. About two-thirds of these studies emanated from Ethiopia, Uganda and South Africa. Studies regarding depression predominated (n=26), followed by cognitive impairment (n=13). Overall, PLWH50+ exhibited varying prevalence of depression (6%-59%), cognitive impairments (4%-61%) and frailty (3%-15%). The correlates of CMDs, cognitive impairment, frailty and HRQoL were rarely investigated, but those reported were sociodemographic variables, many of which were inconsistent.

CONCLUSIONS

This review documented an increasing number of published studies on HIV and ageing from SSA. However, the current evidence on the mental and well-being outcomes in PLWH50+ is inadequate to characterise the public health dimension of these impairments in SSA, because of heterogeneous findings, few well-designed studies and substantial methodological limitations in many of the available studies. Future work should have sufficiently large samples of PLWH50+, engage appropriate comparison groups, harmonise the measurement of these outcomes using a standardised methodology to generate more robust prevalence estimates and confirm predictors.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42020145791.

Predictors of quality of life of older persons in rural Uganda: A cross sectional study

Background: Little is known about the quality of life of older persons (OPs) in Uganda in particular, and Africa in general. This study examined factors associated with quality of life of older persons in rural Uganda. Method: We performed a cross-sectional survey of 912 older persons from the four regions of Uganda. Data were analyzed at univariate, bivariate and multivariate level where ordinal logistic regression was applied. Results: Older persons in northern (OR=0.39; CI=0.224-0.711) and western (OR=0.33; CI=0.185-0.594) regions had poor quality of life relative to those in central region. Those who were HIV positive had poor quality of life (OR=0.45; CI=0.220-0.928) compared to those who were HIV negative. In contrast, living in permanent houses predicted good quality of life (OR=2.04; CI=1.391-3.002). Older persons whose household assets were controlled by their spouses were associated with good quality of life (OR=2.06;CI=1.032-4.107) relative to those whose assets were controlled by their children. Conclusion: Interventions mitigating the HIV and AIDS related Quality of life should target older persons. The government of Uganda should consider improving housing conditions for older persons in rural areas.