Health Related Quality of Life of Patients with Ocular Disorders in a Nigerian Hospital
Keywords:
Eye Disorders, Health Related Quality of Life, Health literacyAbstract
Introduction: Patients’ subjective assessment of the functional effects of illness and its consequent therapy affects their quality of life. The degree of health literacy however depends on how patients can obtain, process and understand basic health information and services. The aim of this study is to evaluate the health related quality of life and the health literacy level of patients with eye disorders.
Methods: The cross sectional study involved 205 consenting patients with ocular disorders attending the Ophthalmic Clinic of University of Benin Teaching Hospital using a convenient sampling technique. The health related quality of life was assessed using the modified European Quality of Life 5 dimensions-3 levels (EQ5D-3L) questionnaire. The five dimensions were Mobility, Self Care, Usual Activities, Pain/Discomfort and Anxiety/Depression.
Results: Out of 205 patients, 55 (26.8%) had cataract, 48 (23.4%) glaucoma, 47 (22.9%) refractive errors, 23 (11.2%) had other eye disorders and 32 (15.6%) patients did not know their diagnosis. Patients with diabetes as co-morbidity were 15 (7.3%) while 24 (11.7%) had hypertension. There were significant association between eye disorders and socio-demographics except sex. Older patients above 35 years presented with cataract 41 (20%) and glaucoma 28 (13.7%), refractive errors were also more with patients in 18-34 years’ age group 37 (18.1%) and students 33 (16.1%). Health literacy was poor. Two (15.6%) patients did not know their disease conditions, its severity or prognosis, some did not know the names of their medication and 148 (72.2%) had no health insurance. Using the Visual Analogue Scale where 100 represented best health and 0 worst health, 29.7% of respondents rated their present health between 50 and 80 and 48.8% rated theirs’ between 80 and 100. Eye disorders significantly affected the mobility dimension and patient health status but had no marked effect across the other four dimensions.
Conclusion: Health related quality of life of eye patients was above average but became more impaired in the presence of co-morbidities and patients often experienced mobility problems. Health literacy was poor; many had no health insurance, no knowledge of their diagnosis and names of medications used for their eye disorder.
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