Health-Related Quality of Life of People with Hepatitis B in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana.

Abstract

Hepatitis B viral infection remains a public health threat worldwide. In Ghana, about 12.3% of the adult population live with hepatitis B. The significant impact of hepatitis B on affected individuals and society spanning social and psychological disturbances, economic constraints and mortality is widely reported. Also, a number of studies have documented the extent of knowledge of hepatitis B, psychological challenges faced by people with hepatitis B, and barriers to care and treatment for PWHB in Ghana. What appear to be missing in the literature is the health-related quality of life of people with hepatitis B in Ghana. The purpose of the study was to assess the quality of life of people with hepatitis B accessing formal care at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana by using the health-related quality of life model by Wilson and Cleary (1995) and revised by Ferrans, Zerwic, Wilbur, and Larson (2005). A cross-sectional survey was used to recruit 180 people with hepatitis B assessing formal care at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Respondents were selected using convenience and quota sampling techniques. Statistical significance was set at .5. The findings indicate that about 75% of the respondent’s quality of life was low. Explicitly, anxiety and depression negatively predicted quality of life but functional well-being and general health perceptions positively predicted the quality of life. Also, functional status and general health perceptions mediated the relationship between anxiety and quality of life. Environmental factors such as income, education and being on antiviral therapy for hepatitis B had major influence and explained 23.6% of the variation in quality of life. From the findings, it is recommended that support groups of people with hepatitis B are formed in the study area to enhance quality of life. Additionally, there is the need for pre-test and post-test counselling of people with hepatitis B in the health delivery system to allay the anxiety and depression that characterise hepatitis B diagnosis by integrating hepatitis B services with the existing HIV structures.