Health-Related Quality Of Life And Its Determinants Among Recreational Drug Users In A Rural Area In Cameroon: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background This study was aimed to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its drivers among recreational drug users, compared to non-users using WHOQOL-BREF. Methods A total of 246 recreational drug users and 141 non-recreational drug users were recruited using consecutive sampling of adults in the community. Socio-demographic data, data related to recreational drug use and HRQoL were collected. Data were compared using t-test, analysis of variance and chi-square test. Determinants of HRQoL were obtained using multivariate regression models. Results The mean overall quality of life (OQOL) score was significantly higher for non-recreational drug users compared to users (75.89 ± 22.64 vs 61.08 ± 23.94, respectively, p < 0.001), non-users as well had significantly higher mean scores across all four domains of WHOQOL-BREF. After multivariable adjustment, use of recreational drugs negatively affected the psychological domain (β=-4.17, 95% CI -8.22 to -0,13) and the environmental domain (β=-4.47, 95% CI -8.48 to -0.45). Years of recreational drug use affected the social relationship domain (β=-0.55, 95% CI -0.88 to -0.22), OQOL (β=-0.57, 95% CI -0.94 to -0.19), and general health satisfaction (β=-0.71, 95% CI -1.08 to -0.35). Number of recreational drugs used contributed to poorer physical health (β=-1.45, 95% CI -2.57 to -0.33), psychological domain (β=-2.04, 95% CI -3.18 to -0.91), social relationship domain (β=-1.87, 95% CI -3.39 to -0.35) as well as overall quality of life (β=-2.13, 95% CI -3.89 to -0.37). Besides recreational drugs, monthly income also affected physical health (β = 5.17, 95% CI 2.96 to 7.38), psychological domain (β = 3.34, 95% CI 1.10 to 5.58), environmental domain (β = 2.64, 95% CI 0.42 to 4.85) and also the OQOL (β = 4.16, 95% CI 0.70 to 7.62). Conclusions Our findings suggest that, recreational drugs significantly negatively affect the health-related quality of life of its users. People who use multiple recreational drugs and longer years of recreational drug use had a more widespread effect across the health domains. Higher monthly income could improve the HRQoL of recreational drug users.