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. 2023 Jan 20:13:06003.
doi: 10.7189/jogh.13.06003.

Associations of the COVID-19 pandemic with quality of life: A cross-sectional study of older-age people with and without HIV in rural Uganda

Brianne Olivieri-Mui  1 , Susanne S Hoeppner  2   3   4 , Yao Tong  5 , Emma Kohrt  1 , Lien T Quach  5 , Deanna Saylor  6 , Janet Seeley  7 , Alexander C Tsai  3   4   8 , Zahra Reynolds  5 , Samson Okello  9   10 , Stephen Asiimwe  5   10   11 , Atwiine Flavia  10 , Ruth Sentongo  10 , Edna Tindimwebwa  11 , Ana-Claire Meyer  12 , Noeline Nakasujja  13 , Robert Paul  14 , Christine Ritchie  3   15   16 , Meredith Greene  17 , Mark J Siedner  3   5   10
Affiliations

Associations of the COVID-19 pandemic with quality of life: A cross-sectional study of older-age people with and without HIV in rural Uganda

Brianne Olivieri-Mui et al. J Glob Health. .

Abstract

Background: COVID-19-related lockdowns and other public health measures may have differentially affected the quality of life (QOL) of older people with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in rural Uganda.

Methods: The Quality of Life and Aging with HIV in Rural Uganda study enrolled people with and without HIV aged over 49 from October 2020 to October 2021. We collected data on COVID-19-related stressors (behavior changes, concerns, interruptions in health care, income, and food) and the participants' QOL. We used linear regression to estimate the associations between COVID-19-related stressors and QOL, adjusting for demographic characteristics, mental and physical health, and time before vs after the lockdown during the second COVID-19 wave in Uganda. Interaction between HIV and COVID-19-related stressors evaluated effect modification.

Results: We analyzed complete data from 562 participants. Mean age was 58 (standard deviation (SD) = 7); 265 (47%) participants were female, 386 (69%) were married, 279 (50%) had HIV, and 400 (71%) were farmers. Those making ≥5 COVID-19-related behavior changes compared to those making ≤2 had worse general QOL (estimated linear regression coefficient (b) = - 4.77; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -6.61, -2.94) and health-related QOL (b = -4.60; 95% CI = -8.69, -0.51). Having access to sufficient food after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (b = 3.10, 95% CI = 1.54, 4.66) and being interviewed after the start of the second lockdown (b = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.30, 4.28) were associated with better general QOL. Having HIV was associated with better health-related QOL (b = 5.67, 95% CI = 2.91,8.42). HIV was not associated with, nor did it modify the association of COVID-19-related stressors with general QOL.

Conclusions: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in an HIV-endemic, low-resource setting, there was reduced QOL among older Ugandans making multiple COVID-19 related behavioral changes. Nonetheless, good QOL during the second COVID-19 wave may suggest resilience among older Ugandans.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure of interest: The authors completed the ICMJE Disclosure of Interest Form (available upon request from the corresponding author) and disclose no relevant interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
LOWESS plot of the number of COVID-related behavior changes and stressors reported by date of data collection.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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