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

Junior Mudji; Nancy Ackam; Yaw Ampem Amoako; Blaise Madinga; Pépé Mumbere; Abigail Agbanyo; Johannes Blum; Richard Odame Phillips; David Molyneux

doi:10.1093/trstmh/trac035

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

Junior Mudji, Nancy Ackam, Yaw Ampem Amoako, Blaise Madinga, Pépé Mumbere, Abigail Agbanyo, Johannes Blum, Richard Odame Phillips, David Molyneux

Tropical Disease Biology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background

The extent to which neuropsychiatric sequelae affects the mental health status and quality of life of former gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT) patients is not known.

Methods

We assessed anxiety, depression and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in 93 patients and their age- and sex-matched controls using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Becks Depression Inventory and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey in structured interviews in the Vanga health zone in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Data were analysed using Stata version 14.0. The degree of association between neurologic sequelae and mental distress was evaluated using the Student's t-test and χ2 or Fisher's exact tests, where appropriate, with a p-value <0.05 deemed to be statistically significant.

Results

We found that neurological sequelae persisted in former patients at least 15 y after treatment. Depression (p<0.001) and anxiety (p=0.001) were significantly higher in former patients with neurologic sequelae. The mean quality-of-life (QoL) scores were significantly lower for patients than in controls in the physical, emotional and mental health domains.

Conclusions

The presence of neurological sequelae leads to mental distress and a diminished QoL in former gHAT patients. Minimising neurologic sequelae and incorporating psychosocial interventions should be essential management goals for gHAT.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1022-1031
Number of pages	10
Journal	Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume	116
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/trac035
Publication status	Published - 26 Apr 2022

Keywords

anxiety
depression
health-related quality of life
human African trypanosomiasis
mental health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1093/trstmh/trac035

Cite this

Mudji, J., Ackam, N., Amoako, Y. A., Madinga, B., Mumbere, P., Agbanyo, A., Blum, J., Phillips, R. O., & Molyneux, D. (2022). Mental distress and health-related quality of life in gambiense human African trypanosomiasis: a case–control study in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 116(11), 1022-1031. https://doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/trac035

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

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

keywords = "anxiety, depression, health-related quality of life, human African trypanosomiasis, mental health",

author = "Junior Mudji and Nancy Ackam and Amoako, \{Yaw Ampem\} and Blaise Madinga and P{\'e}p{\'e} Mumbere and Abigail Agbanyo and Johannes Blum and Phillips, \{Richard Odame\} and David Molyneux",

year = "2022",

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day = "26",

doi = "10.1093/trstmh/trac035",

language = "English",

volume = "116",

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journal = "Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene",

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Mudji, J, Ackam, N, Amoako, YA, Madinga, B, Mumbere, P, Agbanyo, A, Blum, J, Phillips, RO & Molyneux, D 2022, 'Mental distress and health-related quality of life in gambiense human African trypanosomiasis: a case–control study in the Democratic Republic of Congo', Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, vol. 116, no. 11, pp. 1022-1031. https://doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/trac035

Mental distress and health-related quality of life in gambiense human African trypanosomiasis: a case–control study in the Democratic Republic of Congo. / Mudji, Junior; Ackam, Nancy; Amoako, Yaw Ampem et al.
In: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Vol. 116, No. 11, 26.04.2022, p. 1022-1031.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mental distress and health-related quality of life in gambiense human African trypanosomiasis: a case–control study in the Democratic Republic of Congo

AU - Mudji, Junior

AU - Ackam, Nancy

AU - Amoako, Yaw Ampem

AU - Madinga, Blaise

AU - Mumbere, Pépé

AU - Agbanyo, Abigail

AU - Blum, Johannes

AU - Phillips, Richard Odame

AU - Molyneux, David

PY - 2022/4/26

Y1 - 2022/4/26

N2 - BackgroundThe extent to which neuropsychiatric sequelae affects the mental health status and quality of life of former gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT) patients is not known.MethodsWe assessed anxiety, depression and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in 93 patients and their age- and sex-matched controls using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Becks Depression Inventory and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey in structured interviews in the Vanga health zone in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Data were analysed using Stata version 14.0. The degree of association between neurologic sequelae and mental distress was evaluated using the Student's t-test and χ2 or Fisher's exact tests, where appropriate, with a p-value <0.05 deemed to be statistically significant.ResultsWe found that neurological sequelae persisted in former patients at least 15 y after treatment. Depression (p<0.001) and anxiety (p=0.001) were significantly higher in former patients with neurologic sequelae. The mean quality-of-life (QoL) scores were significantly lower for patients than in controls in the physical, emotional and mental health domains.ConclusionsThe presence of neurological sequelae leads to mental distress and a diminished QoL in former gHAT patients. Minimising neurologic sequelae and incorporating psychosocial interventions should be essential management goals for gHAT.

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

KW - anxiety

KW - depression

KW - health-related quality of life

KW - human African trypanosomiasis

KW - mental health

U2 - 10.1093/trstmh/trac035

DO - 10.1093/trstmh/trac035

M3 - Article

SN - 0035-9203

VL - 116

SP - 1022

EP - 1031

JO - Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

JF - Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

IS - 11

ER -

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

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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