Mental distress and health-related quality of life in gambiense human African trypanosomiasis: a case–control study in the Democratic Republic of Congo

• DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trac035
• Publication Date: 2022-04-14T11:15:58Z
• Authors: Junior Mudji; Nancy Ackam; Yaw Ampem Amoako; Blaise Madinga; Pépé Mumbere; Abigail Agbanyo; Johannes Blum; Richard Odame Phi...; David Hurst Molyneux
• Keywords: Depression

The extent to which neuropsychiatric sequelae affects the mental health status and quality of life former gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT) patients is not known.We assessed anxiety, depression health-related (HRQoL) in 93 their age- sex-matched controls using Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, Becks Inventory 36-item Short Form Health Survey structured interviews Vanga zone Democratic Republic Congo. Data were analysed Stata version 14.0. degree association between neurologic distress was evaluated Student's t-test χ2 or Fisher's exact tests, where appropriate, with a p-value <0.05 deemed be statistically significant.We found that neurological persisted at least 15 y after treatment. (p<0.001) anxiety (p=0.001) significantly higher sequelae. mean quality-of-life (QoL) scores lower for than physical, emotional domains.The presence leads diminished QoL gHAT patients. Minimising incorporating psychosocial interventions should essential management goals gHAT.