Quality of life, socioeconomic and clinical factors, and physical exercise in persons living with HIV/AIDS.

Rafaela Catherine Da Silva Cunha De Medeiros Medeiros,Marcos Aurélio De Albuquerque Costa,Jason Azevedo De Medeiros,Danielle Coutinho De Medeiros,Tatiane Andreza Lima Da Silva,Antônio Manuel Gouveia De Oliveira,Breno Guilherme De Araújo Tinoco Cabral,Juliany De Souza Araújo,Paulo Moreira Silva Dantas,Ricardo Dias De Andrade

doi:10.1590/s1518-8787.2017051006266

Rafaela Catherine Da Silva Cunha De Medeiros Medeiros, Marcos Aurélio De Albuquerque Costa + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s1518-8787.2017051006266

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Abstract

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE To analyze whether socioeconomic and clinical aspects and the aspects of healthy life habits are associated with the quality of life of persons living with HIV/AIDS.METHODS This is a cross-sectional exploratory quantitative research, with 227 persons living with HIV/AIDS, treated at two hospitals of reference between April 2012 and June 2014. We used structured questionnaires to assess socioeconomic aspects (gender, age, education level, marital status, race, socioeconomic status, dependents on family income, employment relationship), clinical parameters (time of disease diagnosis, use and time of medication, CD4 T-cell count, and viral load), and practice of physical exercise. To assess quality of life, we used the Quality of Life questionnaire (HAT-QoL). For characterization of the socioeconomic and clinical data and domains of quality of life, we conducted a descriptive analysis (simple frequency, averages, and standard deviations). We applied linear regression, following a hierarchical model for each domain of quality of life.RESULTS The domains that presented lower averages for quality of life were financial concern, concern with confidentiality, general function, and satisfaction with life. We found associations with the variables of socioeconomic status and physical exercise, therapy, and physical exercise for the last two domains, consecutively.CONCLUSIONS The quality of life of persons living with HIV/AIDS shows losses, especially in the financial and confidentiality areas, followed by general function of the body and satisfaction with life, in which socioeconomic and clinical aspects and healthy living habits, such as the practice of physical exercise, are determining factors for this reality.

Highlights

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), initially considered an acute and fatal disease, currently has a profile of chronic disease[1]
The quality of life of persons living with HIV/AIDS shows losses, especially in the financial and confidentiality areas, followed by general function of the body and satisfaction with life, in which socioeconomic and clinical aspects and healthy living habits, such as the practice of physical exercise, are determining factors for this reality
This modification is due to the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), which has allowed an increase in the quality of the treatment of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), improving the quality of life (QOL) and increasing life expectancy[2]

Summary

Introduction

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), initially considered an acute and fatal disease, currently has a profile of chronic disease[1]. QOL is defined as an individual perception about the position in life, in the context of culture and value systems in relation to goals, expectations, and concerns[4] In this perspective, we can verify the incorporation of aspects related to the physical and psychological health, the level of independence, and the social relationship within the spectrum of QOL4. We can verify the incorporation of aspects related to the physical and psychological health, the level of independence, and the social relationship within the spectrum of QOL4 Given these characteristics, the investigation on the QOL of PLWHA becomes essential, especially because of the development of the infection, the need for drug treatment, increased survival, and life with the stigmatizing disease. All these aspects must be observed with the socio-economic characteristics and habits of life, in order to identify negative factors that contribute to biopsychosocial problems[3,5,6]

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