Health Related Quality of Life of People Leaving with HIV/AIDS in Hawassa University Referral Hospital
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2010-01
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Understanding the health related quality of life in people living withHIV/AIDS has become increasingly a key measurement of treatment outcome
Purpose: This study was intended to assess the health related quality of life (HRQQL) of people living with HIV/AIDS in Hawassa University Referral Hospital by using theWilson and Cleary model.
Methods: Using a cross-sectional design and convenience sampling method, a
quantitative exploratory survey was conducted on HIV patients attending the ARTclinic (n=392). Using pretested questionnaires the data collected on demographic and clinical characterist ics, symptom status, and patients’ perceptions of quality of life were organized based on the Wilson and Cleary framework for analyzing variables related to quality of life. Then, by using SPSS for Windows version 15 a hierarchical multiple regressions was conducted with quality of life as dependent variable
Result: The sample of 392 persons was 259(66.1%) female with mean age of
32.5(SD=8.6) years .On the day of the interview, few 37(9.4%) individuals presented with opportunistic infections(OI).Similarly the average types of symptoms, out of the possible 64 symptoms, experienced per person on the date of visit was 4(SD=4.5).Twenty three predictor variables explained 65.1% of the variance in patients’ overall quality of Life. Those participants with higher health related quality of life scores were those who had greater functioning, fewer financial worries, lower symptom intensity,
with fewer health worries and had no opportunistic infection. In addition social support and disclosure worries made statistically significant relationship with HRQOL at Pvalue less than0.05.
Conclusion:
The Wilson and Cleary model of quality of life serve as useful organizing
framework for developing an understanding of the correlates of quality of life for a sample of persons living with HIV/AIDS in Hadassah University Referral Hospital. Health related quality of life for this sample was primarily defined as over all functional abilities, absence of financial worries, control over symptom intensity, lack of health worries and also absence of opportunistic infections. These findings are similar with finding studied both in developed and developing countries. Based on the finding of this study, recommendations are forwarded.
Description
Keywords
Quality ,Life, HIV/AIDS