Determinants of quality of life among adolescent and young adult Ebola survivors in Democratic Republic of Congo, quasiexperimental study

ABSTRACT: Ebola virus disease has been widely researched in sub-Saharan Africa, but very few studiesexamining the determinants on quality of life among adolescents and young adults Ebola survivorsin subSaharan and particularly in Democratic Republic of Congo. Objective was to determine the determinants ofquality of life. A mixed method quasi experimental study design was employed which utilized bothquantitativeand qualitative methods. The study was conducted in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The targetpopulation was EVD adolescent and young adult survivors aged 10 to 24. A random sample of 46 survivors atthe baseline and 45 at the endline were recruited for quantitative data, qualitative data was obtained from 14 indepth interviews and 5 focus group discussions. Majority of the participants were female. In a multivariableregression analysis, social support (aOR=2.19; 95%CI=1.02-4.70) and confusion (AOR=0.26; 95%CI=0.11-0.61) were significant determinants affecting quality of life among adolescent and young adult Ebola survivors.In qualitative analysis, participants associated education, medical care, availability of food especially local foodsand counselling with better quality of life. The quality of life of the adolescents and the young adults Ebolasurvivors is poor and social support and confusion were significantly associated.

KEYWORDS : Adolescents, determinants, EVD (Ebola Virus Disease), quality of life, young adults Adolescent.