Factors Affecting Health-related Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Viral Hepatitis in Kazakhstan

Abstract Background: Chronic viral hepatitis is one of the main causes leading to lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients, so its performance is significantly worse than that of patients with other liver diseases. It is common for a significant percentage of patients infected with hepatitis viruses to have low scores that are independent of the degree of disease activity and in the absence of disease progression. There are many studies evaluating HRQoL in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, but studies examining predictors of reduced quality of life in patients are still scarce. Aim: This study aimed to assess factors affecting HRQoL in patients with chronic viral hepatitis in Kazakhstan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of 233 patients with chronic viral hepatitis at the Infectious Diseases Hospital of the Shymkent city and the Hepatological Center of the Shymkent Regional Clinical Hospital for the period from September 2020 to March 2022. The EuroQol-five dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D) and the EuroQol-visual analogue scale EQ-VAS were used to assess the quality of life. Results: A total of 233 patients diagnosed with chronic viral hepatitis were enrolled in the study. The average value of the EQ-5D index scores in the total number of patients with chronic viral hepatitis was low and amounted to 0.63 ± 0.3. The indicator of the visual analog scale EQ-VAS in the total number of patients was 73.1 ± 15.3. Multiple regression analysis also showed that age ( P < 0.001), female ( P < 0.014), the stage of liver fibrosis ( P < 0.008), alanine transaminase (ALT) level ( P < 0.027), and high viral load ( P < 0.006) were variables significantly correlating with HRQoL in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Conclusions: The quality of life in patients with chronic viral hepatitis in this study was low. The main factors leading to a decrease in the quality of life are older age, belonging to the female sex, advanced stage of liver fibrosis, elevated ALT levels, and high viral load. Strengthening social and medical support for patients with chronic viral hepatitis, in particular, with a late stage of the disease, can contribute to improving the quality of life in this category of patients, but further research is needed.