ASSOCIATION OF ANEMIA WITH HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG HIV-INFECTED INDIVIDUALS IN MERU, KENYA

Anemia is a prevalent hematological complication in HIV patients, significantly impacting their health-related quality of life, morbidity, disease progression, and mortality. Despite its importance, there is a lack of information specifically focused on the impact of anemia on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of HIV-infected individuals in Meru County, Kenya. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia, identifying its predisposing factors, and assess its impact on HRQoL among HIV-infected individuals attending Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital (MeTRH).

A total of 354 adult participants (76.1% women, 24.9% men) were enrolled for the study at MeTRH between May and August 2022. Demographic and clinical data were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Hemoglobin levels were analyzed using an automated hemoglobin analyzer and anemia was defined according to WHO criteria (hemoglobin <11.5 g/dL for non-pregnant women, <12.5 g/dL for men). HRQoL was assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF tool across physical, psychological, social, and environment domains. To identify factors associated with anemia, logistic regression was used. Linear regression was applied to analyze the relationship between HRQoL mean scores and anemia status.

The prevalence of anemia in the study population was 12.4%, 11.4% in men and 12.8% in women. The level of education was the only sociodemographic factor found to be significantly associated with anemia status. Among the clinical factors, period of HIV positivity and CD4 count were found to be significantly associated with anemia status. The mean HRQOL score of the physical domain was statistically significantly different between the anemic and non-anemic groups. Furthermore, we found that anemia status was significantly associated with the physical domain of HRQoL after adjusting for period of HIV positivity, level of education and CD4 count (p = 0.02).

Anemia impacts the physical HRQoL in HIV patients, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive management strategies. Implementing a holistic approach to enhance physical well-being for these individuals is crucial in Meru County and similar resource-limited settings.