Correlates of health-related quality of life among adults receiving combination antiretroviral therapy in coastal Kenya

• Published in: Health and quality of life outcomes 2020-06, Vol.18 (1), p.169-14, Article 169
• Main Authors: Nyongesa, Moses K, Mwangi, Paul, Wanjala, Stanley W, Mutua, Agnes M, Koot, Hans M, Cuijpers, Pim, Newton, Charles R J C, Abubakar, Amina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adult; Adults; AIDS; Analysis; Anti-Retroviral Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretroviral agents; Antiretroviral drugs; Antiretroviral therapy; Body mass; Body mass index; Body size; Correlates; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression - complications; Depression - psychology; Female; Health aspects; Highly active antiretroviral therapy; HIV; HIV carriers discrimination; HIV infections; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infection; Kenya; Male; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Opportunist infection; Psychometrics; Quality of Life; Regression analysis; Sexually transmitted diseases; Social aspects; Social interactions; Social Stigma; Socioeconomic factors; STD; Studies; Support systems; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 1477-7525; 1477-7525
• DOI: 10.1186/s12955-020-01421-0

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important metric of perceived wellbeing in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). However, research on HRQoL among PLWHA in sub-Saharan Africa is limited. This study investigates factors associated with HRQoL among PLWHA in Kilifi, coast of Kenya. Between February and April 2018, 450 adults living with HIV and on combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) between 18 to 60 years were sequentially recruited from an HIV-specialized clinic. The Functional Assessment of HIV Infection (FAHI) questionnaire, previously adapted for assessing HRQoL in this setting, was slightly modified and administered to participants alongside other measures of sociodemographic, health and treatment characteristics in a face-to-face interview. Linear regression analyses indicated that depressive symptoms, HIV-related stigma, non-disclosure of HIV status, living alone, clinic inaccessibility, and presence of any current opportunistic infection were significantly associated with lower HRQoL scores at both the FAHI overall and sub-scale level. Higher physician empathy, male sex, and higher body mass index were significantly associated with better HRQoL scores at both FAHI overall and sub-scale level. Age and longer duration on cART were significantly associated with better HRQoL only at the sub-scale level. Interventions aimed at reducing depressive symptoms and HIV stigma, making HIV-related services more accessible, addressing opportunistic infections, strengthening social support systems, serostatus disclosure and put in place caring, respectful, and compassionate model of care are necessary to improve the HRQoL of PLWHA.