Abstract:

People with disabilities are at an increased risk of developing secondary conditions that may worsen their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The study aimed to determine the prevalence of secondary conditions and health-related quality of life among persons with disabilities aged 18 years and above in Limbe Municipality Southwest Region, Cameroon. This was a cross-sectional study in which quantitative data were collected on people with disabilities. A total of 320 participants were recruited. Participants were obtained consecutively from associations of persons with disabilities, and a snowball sampling method was used in the community. Data on disability were collected using a pretested, structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. HRQOL was assessed using the Centres for Disease Control (CDC, 2000) Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Participants presented with the following secondary conditions: pain, depression, pressure ulcers, contractures, hypertension, diabetes and urinary tract infection. Pain (40.6%) and depression (31.6%) were the most prevalent. On the HRQOL, more than half of the participants self-rated their health status fairly (58%) and 15% as poor. A large proportion of participants reported poor physical (89.6%) and mental (90.3%) health in the past 30 days, while 51% reported limitations of daily activities. These findings could inform of intervention study to prevent and manage secondary conditions and to improve the quality of life of people living with a disability.

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