Health-Related Quality of Life Among People Living with HIV in Vietnam, a Three-Year Longitudinal Analysis

This study examined changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among people living with HIV in Vietnam over three years following antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. We analyzed data from a randomized trial of 639 ART-naïve patients in which HRQOL was measured using the SF-8 instrument. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to assess changes in HRQOL over time and identify associated factors. At baseline, 57.5% reported low HRQOL. HRQOL improved rapidly after ART initiation, with 89.0% reporting good HRQOL at 3 months and 96.4% at 36 months. Compared with men, women had slower improvement in HRQOL over time. Factors positively associated with HRQOL included higher BMI and alcohol use, while food insecurity, history of tuberculosis, advanced clinical stages, and TDF-based regimens were negatively associated. Older age was linked to poorer HRQOL outcomes. These findings highlight the effectiveness of ART in improving HRQOL while also revealing disparities in HRQOL improvements.