Assessment of health-related quality of life and treatment satisfaction and their associated factors among older adults with heart failure: a prospective observational study in selected hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia

OBJECTIVES: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL), treatment satisfaction and associated factors among older adults with acute heart failure in Northwest Ethiopia. DESIGN: Prospective, multicentre observational study. SETTING: Three tertiary hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia provide secondary and tertiary care services. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 422 patients aged ≥60 years with a confirmed diagnosis of acute heart failure were consecutively enrolled between December 2024 and April 2025. Patients with unstable psychiatric conditions or advanced kidney disease were excluded. OUTCOME MEASURES: HRQoL was assessed using the WHO Quality of Life - Brief Version questionnaire, and treatment satisfaction was measured using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM). Multiple linear regression identified factors associated with HRQoL and treatment satisfaction. RESULTS: 95% of participants reported moderate HRQoL, and 3% reported poor HRQoL. Weight loss was positively associated with HRQoL (β=1.52; 95% CI 0.04 to 3.07; p=0.021), whereas asthma was negatively associated with HRQoL (β = -3.28; 95% CI 6.94 to 0.37; p=0.001). Regarding treatment satisfaction, 65% of patients were moderately satisfied, with notable concerns regarding medication safety and overall experience. Rural residents reported lower satisfaction than urban residents (β = -0.20; 95% CI 0.34 to 0.05; p=0.007). Patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III had higher satisfaction (β=0.25; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.45; p=0.016). Effective hypertension management was linked to increased satisfaction (β=0.20; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.37; p=0.026), whereas coronary heart disease was associated with lower satisfaction (β = -0.40; 95% CI 0.64 to 0.88; p=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Among older adults with heart failure in Northwest Ethiopia, 98% reported moderate to low HRQoL. Asthma and polypharmacy negatively affected HRQoL, whereas weight loss was positively associated with HRQoL. An NYHA class III status and well-managed hypertension improved treatment satisfaction, whereas rural residency and coronary heart disease were associated with lower satisfaction. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to enhance outcomes and QoL in this vulnerable population.