Polypharmacy and health related quality of life among older adults on antiretroviral therapy in a tertiary hospital in Tanzania: a hospital-based cross-sectional study

Background Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) chronicity in the midst of old age multiplies the risk for chronic non communicable diseases. The old are predisposed to drug-drug interactions, overlapping toxicities and impairment of the quality of life (QoL) due to age-related physiological changes. We investigated polypharmacy, QoL and associated factors among older HIV-infected adults at Muhimbili National hospitals in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. Methods A hospital-based cross sectional study enrolled adults aged 50 years or older who were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for >= 6 months. Participants' Information including the number and type of medications used in the previous one week were recorded. Polypharmacy was defined as concurrent use of five or more non-HIV medications. A World Health Organization QoL questionnaire for people living with HIV on ART (WHOQoL HIV BREF) was used to assess QoL. A score of <= 50 meant poor QoLwhile >50 meant good QoL. Polypharmacy and QoL are presented as proportions and compared using Chi-square test. Association between various factors and polypharmacy or QoL was assessed using modified Poisson regression. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results A total of 285 patients were enrolled. The mean (SD) age was 57(+/- 6.88) years. Females were the majority (62.5%), and 42.5% were married. Polypharmacy was seen in 52 (18.2%) of participants. Presence of co-morbidities was independently associated with polypharmacy (p < 0.001). The mean(SD) score QoL for the study participants was 67.37 +/- 11.Poor QoL was seen in 40 (14%) participants.All domains' mean score were above 50, however social domain had a relatively lowmean scoreof 68 (+/- 10.10). Having no formal or primary education was independently associated with poor QoL (p = 0.021). Conclusion The prevalence of polypharmacy was modestly high and was linked to the presence of co-morbidities. No formal and/or primary education was associated with poor QoL, where by social domain of QoL was the most affected.