Effect of Health-Literacy and Self-Management Efficacy on the Health-Related Quality of Life of Hypertensive Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Disease processes and subjective factors such as Health Literacy (HL) and Self-Management Efficacy (SME) affect the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of hypertensive patients. The main objective of this study was to examine the effect of health literacy and self management efficacy on the HRQoL of hypertensive patients who are attending a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 404 hypertensive patients attending Teaching Hospital-Peradeniya. Data was collected using Short Form-36 (SF-36), Self-E cacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale (SES6C), and Brief Health Literacy Screening (BHLS) to measure the patient’s HRQoL, SME and HL, respectively. p value being 0:05 considered as the level of significance. Out of 400 participants 246 (61.5%) were female and 154 (38.5%) were male. Mean age of the participants was 63.2 10.6 years. Total mean score of SF-36 was 65:71 19:73. The total mean score for the SES6C was 7:36 1:48 and the total mean score for the BHLS was 18:35 3:17. A moderately significant relationship was found between Total HRQo L and SES6C Scores (r = 0:498; p = 0:001). A positive but weak relationship was found between the total HRQoL and the Total BHLS score (r = 0:209; p = 0:001). Simple linear regression analysis revealed that two predictor variables, SME and HL explain about 26.1% of the variance in HRQoL. Both HL and SME affect the HRQoL in a significant manner. Age, level of education, duration of hypertension, and the monthly income of the patients were found to be associated with the HRQoL of the hypertensive patients.