HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG CHILDREN AGED 8- 18 YEARS OLD LIVING IN PREVIOUS LEPROSY AND NON-LEPROSY SETTLEMENT AREAS IN EASTERN ETHIOPIA: A COMPARATIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background:Cured leprosy children and their families have shown a poorer life quality than the general population, with the leprosarium group being worse than the control group. However, there is limited evidence on the health-related quality of life and its associated factors among children living in previous leprosy settlement areas in eastern Ethiopia. Objectives: Tocompare the status of health-related quality of life and its associated factors among children aged 8 -18 years living in previous leprosy and non-leprosysettlement areas in eastern Ethiopia from October 15 to December 15, 2023. Method: Community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 515 children aged 8 to 18 years old living in Amir Nur and Babbile Woreda. Data was collected through interviews using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4 tool. The data was entered into Epi Data version 3.1 and analyzed using STATA version 14. Simple and multiple linear regression wereemployed to determine the association between independent variables. Results:The overall mean health-related quality of life score in the child report was 73.98 ± 18.47 vs 77.67 ± 14.72 (P=0.01) and 55.78 ± 12.03 vs 55.61±8.50 (P=0.85) in the parent proxy report respectively.In multiple linear regression, childeducational status(β =14.69; 95% CI: -8.69 -20.69), absence of neglected and tropical diseases (β = 4.02; 95% CI: 0.66 -7.37), and child face washing habits (β = 5.54, 95% CI, 2.14 to 8.95) per day increase health-related quality of life. Whilea previous history of any ofneglected and tropical diseases(β = -8.54; 95% CI -12.93 - - 4.15),the absence of hand washing facilities (β = -8.57; 95% CI, -15.22 - -1.92) for the house decreasedmean health-related quality of life. Conclusion: Overall,one in four and more thanhalf of children had poor health-related quality of life in the child report and parent proxy report respectively. The educational status of the child, absence of neglected tropical diseases, and child face washing habits per day increase health related quality of life. But previous history of neglected and tropical diseases, the absence of a hand washing facility for the house decreasedthe mean health-related quality of life of children.To improve the health-related quality of life, stakeholders shall pay attention toand work on early detection and treatment of neglected tropical diseases, child education, and proper sanitation practices in this community.