Quality of life and its correlates in HIV/AIDS male outpatients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy in Taiwan

Long-term care of human HIV and AIDS cases has raised quality of life (QoL) issues. The aim of this study was to identify QoL in HIV/AIDS male outpatients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and its correlates in Taiwan. In total, 41 HIV/AIDS male outpatients receiving HAART yet presenting few symptoms of infection, were recruited for the study. Their QoL levels were measured with the Taiwan version of the Short Form of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). The relationships between QoL and demographic characteristics, social support, negative stressors, depression, characteristics of HIV infection, attitude toward HIV infection, and adverse effects of HAART, were examined. The results of the analysis reveal that multiple factors affect QoL for HIV/AIDS male outpatients receiving HAART, including severity of depression, deterioration of work function, inconvenience resulting from medication schedules and medical appointments, lack of social support, negative stressors, and adverse effects of HAART. The results provide screening factors so that clinicians can intervene to improve the QoL for their HIV patients.