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Review
. 2025 Jan 21;26(1):34.
doi: 10.1186/s12882-025-03957-z.

Health-related quality of life in hypertensive patients with chronic kidney disease in low and middle-income countries

Wening Wulandari  1 , Neily Zakiyah  2   3 , Cherry Rahayu  4 , Irma M Puspitasari  1   5 , Auliya A Suwantika  1   5
Affiliations
Review

Health-related quality of life in hypertensive patients with chronic kidney disease in low and middle-income countries

Wening Wulandari et al. BMC Nephrol. .

Abstract

Hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are interconnected conditions that can significantly affect a person's health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), this disease burden is heightened due to limited health resources and socio-economic challenges. Based on the available literature, this narrative review aims to discuss the HRQoL of hypertensive patients with CKD in LMICs by identifying the current challenges and providing insights into the strategic potential to improve patient's quality of life. This review reveals that the hypertensive population with CKD has a much lower HRQoL than the general population. Various factors, including physical limitations, comorbidities, psychological barriers, logistical challenges, and social support, can influence HRQoL. Limited access to health care, inadequate resources, and a lack of skilled personnel in LMICs further exacerbate these individual challenges. The economic impact of decreased work productivity and increased health costs adds to the disease burden. Improved health access, effective self-management strategies, and social support are needed to improve HRQoL in hypertensive patients with CKD.

Keywords: Hypertension; Kidney disease; Low-income countries; Middle-income countries; Quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Illustration of the relationship between Quality of Life (QoL) and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). QoL, represented by the orange circle, includes a wide range of factors that contribute to a person’s overall well-being, such as economic and social conditions. These are non-health-related aspects of life that influence how satisfied individuals feel. HRQoL, shown in the blue circle, is a subset of QoL, focusing specifically on how a person’s health impacts their daily functioning and psychological well-being. It includes factors like physical and psychological well-being and is commonly measured using tools like the EQ-5D-5L and KDQOL-36. The innermost red circle highlights the impact of disease states on the body and well-being. This emphasizes that health conditions play a critical role in shaping an individual’s HRQoL, directly influencing their physical and emotional functioning. The use of distinct colors and circles helps distinguish between the broad scope of QoL and the more specific health-related focus of HRQoL
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Comprehensive Self-Management Approaches for Hypertension with CKD
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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