Quality of life among people living with acquired immune deficiency syndrome receiving anti-retroviral therapy: a study from Nepal

Smith Giri, Maniraj Neupane, Sushil Pant, Utsav Timalsina, Sagar Koirala, Santosh Timalsina, Sashi Sharma

Department of Medicine, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal

Purpose: The present study was undertaken to determine the impact of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) on the quality of life of affected individuals in Nepal.
Patients and methods: A cross sectional study was done among 70 individuals attending the Anti-Retroviral Therapy clinic of the University Hospital in Nepal. Quality of life (QOL) was evaluated using World Health Organization Quality of life questionnaire (WHO QOL-BREF) instrument. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS Version 17.0.
Results: The median scores with interquartile range (IQR) in four domains of QOL in descending order were physical (61; IQR 22), social (58; IQR 33), environmental (56; IQR 13), and psychological (54; IQR 8). Older age was associated with lower perceived overall QOL. Females were more likely to have lower QOL scores in the social and psychological domains. Higher CD4 counts and a married status were significant predictors of higher QOL scores in the environmental domain.
Conclusion: Being older, female, single, and having advanced clinical stage is associated with lower QOL scores in people living with AIDS. Lowest QOL scores were seen in the psychological domain suggesting the need of psychological interventions.

Keywords: quality of life, AIDS, Nepal, WHO QOL-BREF