{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,12]],"date-time":"2026-05-12T09:10:00Z","timestamp":1778577000771,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":19,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]],"date-time":"2026-03-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774915200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objective: Health is a multidimensional construct shaped not only by clinical conditions but also by psychological, social, environmental and cultural factors. In low- and middle-income countries undergoing rapid epidemiological transition, understanding health requires integrated and culturally informed approaches. However, quality of life, perceived health status and lifestyle behaviors are often investigated separately, limiting the interpretation of well-being in specific local contexts. This study aimed to provide an integrated assessment of quality of life, perceived health status and lifestyle behaviours among adults attending a peri-urban public hospital in Kenya, using internationally validated instruments applied within a specific local cultural context. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at Tigoni Level 4 Hospital, Kiambu County, Kenya. Adult outpatients (N = 40) were consecutively recruited. Quality of life was assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF, perceived health status using the EQ-5D-5L and EQ-VAS, and lifestyle behaviours using selected modules of the WHO STEPS instrument. Descriptive statistics were performed, and exploratory associations were examined using Spearman\u2019s rank correlation coefficient. Results: Participants had a mean age of 35.9 \u00b1 11.4 years, with a balanced gender distribution. Lifestyle risk factors were prevalent, including insufficient physical activity (40%) and overweight or obesity (&gt;50%). WHOQOL-BREF scores revealed a heterogeneous profile, with relatively preserved social relationships and lower scores in the psychological and environmental domains. Pain\/discomfort and anxiety\/depression were the most frequently reported EQ-5D-5L problems. The mean EQ-VAS score was 68.2 \u00b1 15.7. Perceived health was positively associated with physical and psychological quality of life, while higher body mass index was associated with lower physical quality of life. Mental health emerged as a cross-cutting factor across instruments. Conclusions: The findings highlight the multidimensional nature of health in a peri-urban Kenyan context and suggest the importance of considering local social and cultural influences when interpreting standardized health measures. Mental health and environmental conditions play a central role in shaping quality of life and perceived health, while lifestyle risk factors are already prevalent in a relatively young outpatient population. Integrating standardized health measures within a cross-cultural framework may support more holistic and person-centred approaches in primary care and public health in similar settings.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph23040438","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]],"date-time":"2026-04-01T10:09:21Z","timestamp":1775038161000},"page":"438","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Health Beyond Disease: An Integrated Assessment of Quality of Life, Perceived Health, and Lifestyle Behaviours in a Peri-Urban Kenyan Population\u2014A Pilot Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"23","author":[{"given":"Emanuela","family":"Nuccio","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Services, Medical Directorate of Hospital Facilities, A.O.R.N. \u201cSan Giuseppe Moscati\u201d, 83100 Avellino, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7757-6855","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giovanni","family":"Boccia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry \u201cScuola Medica Salernitana\u201d, University of Salerno, 84081 Salerno, Italy"},{"name":"San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d\u2019Aragona University Hospital, 84081 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0602-2513","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emanuela","family":"Santoro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry \u201cScuola Medica Salernitana\u201d, University of Salerno, 84081 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-4088-5402","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anna","family":"Esposito","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania \u201cLuigi Vanvitelli\u201d, 80131 Napoli, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Antonio","family":"Nigro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Prevention Department, Complex Operational Unit (U.O.C.), Public Hygiene Local Health Authority, 84127 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-6590-1952","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vittoria","family":"Satriani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry \u201cScuola Medica Salernitana\u201d, University of Salerno, 84081 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0896-7593","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roberta","family":"Manente","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d\u2019Aragona University Hospital, 84081 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6858-4362","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Angelo","family":"Cianciulli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry \u201cScuola Medica Salernitana\u201d, University of Salerno, 84081 Salerno, Italy"},{"name":"San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d\u2019Aragona University Hospital, 84081 Salerno, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"World Health Organization (1948). 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Community Health"}],"container-title":["International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/23\/4\/438\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,12]],"date-time":"2026-05-12T08:14:54Z","timestamp":1778573694000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1660-4601\/23\/4\/438"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]]},"references-count":19,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4]]}},"alternative-id":["ijerph23040438"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijerph23040438","relation":{},"ISSN":["1660-4601"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1660-4601","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]]}}}