Socio-economic factors and health-related quality of life in adults living with HIV

This study examined the relationships of income, employment status and other socioeconomic characteristics with dimensions of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for those living with HIV/AIDS, controlling for clinical characteristics. Demographic (gender, age, education, living with a partner, HIV transmission category), economic (employment status, monthly household income, volunteer experience), clinical (CD4 count, AIDS defining illness, time since diagnosis, number of HIV symptoms, and highly active antiretroviral therapy), and HRQOL measures (five Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey subscales) were obtained from 308 consenting HIV clinic patients in Calgary, Canada. Multiple regression results indicate that the strongest predictor of the five QL subscales is employment status, while income was significant as an independent predictor in two of the models. Other socioeconomic characteristics were not consistently significant predictors of HRQOL subscales. The contribution of employment to HRQOL is important to explore further, and suggest the need for flexibility in income support and return-to-work programmes for those with HIV.