Quality of life in persons with Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection in Mexico

The evaluation of quality of life related to health (HRQOL) has become an important prognostic indicator in HIV/AIDS. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of socio-demographic, clinical and psychological factors in HRQOL in a group of subjects with HIV/AIDS in northwestern Mexico and determine which variables best predict HRQOL.

In a cross-sectional study with a sample of 87% of patients receiving care at a clinic for HIV/AIDS in northwestern Mexico between November 2010 to June 2011, we measure the HRQOL using the Tool Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV). A model of multiple linear regression was performed to identify variables that allow us to predict HRQOL in this population.

In a sample of 54 subjects with HIV/AIDS. Patients had an average age of 43 ± 9 years, 83% were men with a mean time of 6.5 ± 4.5 years from diagnosis. HRQOL scores of physical and mental health of the participants were 57 ± 6 and 57 ± 13 respectively. In multivariate analysis, the variables that influenced the physical health punctuation were gender, marital status, sexual orientation, time since diagnosis and viral load (log).

Prospective studies are needed to better explain the influence of the factors that predict changes or trends in HRQOL in patients with HIV/AIDS.