Abstract
Quality of life (QoL) changes among 56 adult patients living with HIV/AID (PHA) were assessed following two years of care in which most had received highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The sample was stratified by initial disease stage; subjects were classified 'asymptomatic' if they had no HIV-related constitutional symptoms, 'symptomatic' if they had at least one symptom, and 'AIDS' if symptomatic with a history of opportunistic infections and/or CD4 count less than 200 cells/µL. For the overall group, changes in mean QoL (Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form-36 [SF-36]) ratings were non-significant, irrespective of initial disease stage or prior HAART exposure. Although overall there were health status improvements over the two-year period, clinical changes were generally unrelated to changes in QoL ratings. Patients with better immunologic/virologic outcomes showed slight improvements in mean QoL ratings, while those with poorer clinical outcomes showed slight deterioration. These within-group changes over time were statistically non-significant. The corresponding between-group differences in changes in SF-36 social and psychological dimensions were significant. Statistically significant differences among the three disease stage groups on a number of subscales at baseline (Physical Function, Body Pain, Vitality, Role Limitations due to Physical Problems) became non-significant (i.e. nullified) at follow-up. Significant increases in mean number of symptoms for the asymptomatic and symptomatic groups were not associated with two-year changes in QoL ratings. Overall, wellbeing was moderately stable over the two-year follow-up period, although somewhat affected by symptom changes and immunologic/virologic outcome. The study results contrast with pre-HAART longitudinal research, in which deterioration in all areas of QoL occurred.
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