Health-related quality of life: Social and gender determinants in Cordoba, Argentina

Objective: Analyzing the link between social and gender determinants and health-related quality of life (hrql) in socially marginalized neighborhoods of Cordoba, Argentina, in 2019. Methodology: Observational epidemiological cross-sectional study of 280 adult patients of a public hospital. In order to evaluate the hrql, patients were asked about self-referred health, physical wellbeing (pain/malaise), and mental wellbeing (anxiety/depression). Gender-stratified multiple logistic regression models were estimated. Results: Women that spent more time on unpaid labor had an increased probability of self-perceiving their health condition as bad or average (or: 1.03; ci 95%: 1.01-1.04), and of suffering from anxiety or depression (or: 3.50; ci 95%: 1.78-6.90). However, women with higher socioeconomic status were less likely to self-perceive their health as bad or average (or: 0.05; ci 95%: 0.00-0.66). In men, being married or having a partner (or: 2.12; ci 95%: 1.04-4.30), having a higher level of education (or: 0.29; ci 95%: 0.09-0.90), and health coverage (or: 0.28; CI 95%: 0.10-0.74) were linked to being less likely to self-perceive their health as bad or average. Those with a higher level of education were less likely to suffer from anxiety or depression (or: 0.27; ci 95%:0.08-0.96). People exposed to physical or verbal violence were more likely to suffer from anxiety or depression; both in the case of women (or: 3.50; ci 95% 1.78-6.90) and of men (or: 2.42; ci 95%: 1.08-5.44). Health coverage in women was linked to having a decreased probability of feeling pain or malaise (or: 0.37 ci 95%: 0.17-0.81). Conclusion: Social and gender determinants have an important role in hrql in socially marginalized contexts in Cordoba. It is advisable to take this into account when implementing healthcare strategies aiming to improve it.