Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients of Systemic Lupus Erythematous and risk factors for poor HRQoL at health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Multicenter cross sectional study: Insight from poor setting

Background and Aim : Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that significantly affects the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients. The study aims to assess HRQoL and identify the factors associated with poor HRQoL in patients with SLE attending selected rheumatology clinics in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods : A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted among 121 SLE patients on follow up in two rheumatology clinics in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from January 2025 to February 2025. HRQoL was assessed using the RAND-36 tool, and the overall HRQoL score, the Physical Component Summary (PCS), and the Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores were determined. Data were collected from chart reviews, electronic medical records, and interviewing patients. Data entry and analysis were performed using SPSS version 27.1. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize data, and Multivariable linear regression was used to identify factors significantly associated with HRQoL, allowing for the evaluation of demographic, clinical, and socio-occupational influences on HRQoL among patients with SLE. Results : The study included 121 SLE patients with a mean age of 35.4 ± 12.3 years, of whom 99.2% were female. The overall mean HRQoL score was 48.41 ± 5.7, with the mean scores for the Physical Component Summary and Mental Component Summary being 46.28 ± 8.4 and 50.54 ± 8.03, respectively. In multivariable linear regression analysis, age (B = -0.144, 95% CI: -0.277 to -0.010, P = 0.035), disease duration (B = -1.215, 95% CI: -2.161 to -0.268, P = 0.02), disease activity (B = -5.41, 95% CI: -9.578 to -1.287, P = 0.01), and occupation (housewives: B = -3.057, 95% CI: -5.670 to -0.444, P = 0.022) were significantly associated with poor HRQoL. Conclusion and Recommendations: The HRQoL among SLE patients was found to be low. Disease activity and socio-demographic factors significantly influenced HRQoL. The findings underscore the importance of regularly monitoring disease activity and HRQoL, and suggest that interventions targeted at high-risk groups could improve the quality of life for these patients.