Abstract

Background: With the advent of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and on antiretroviral therapy (ART) have their life expectancy increased because ART improves their longevity. However, psychosocial challenges are a great threat to their health-related quality life (HRQOL). People Living With HIV/AIDS can now live longer but with increasing rates of comorbidities. Thus, prevention of comorbidities is crucial to maintain and gain health-related benefits and to maximise the HRQOL in the long-term management of PLWHA. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to determine psychosocial factors that influence HRQOL of PLWHA on ART. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenient sampling to select 100 PLWHA and attending at the HIV-clinic. Health Related Quality of life was assessed using WHOQOL-HIV-BREF questionnaire and demographic information was collected using a semi-structured-questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS-22 for basic descriptives. Independent-samples-test and ANOVA were used to determine significant differences at P≤0.05. Results: Of 100 interviewed, 63% females and 37% males had mean-age of 38 years with 36% in age-range 31-40 years, 47% had secondary-education, 20% were contractemployees, 32% receiving ≥ZAR10000 monthly, 55% were living in rural-areas and 42% were singles. Good health-status was reported in 92%, 72% having initial-CD4-count of ≥500cells/mm3, 54% having initial-viral-load ≥10000copies/mL and 98% undetectable. Asymptomatic were 62% and 43% WHO-clinical stage of 2. Only 24% had acceptable adherence-rate of ≥90%. In terms of psychological factors, there was a correlation between anxiety/depression, satisfaction with their health and acceptance of bodily image and appearance. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that psychological factors that were of significant association with HRQOL were anxiety, depression, satisfaction with their health, acceptance of bodily image and appearance. Individuals with abnormal anxiety or depression are associated with poor q

Keywords

quality of life, antiretroviral therapy, health-related quality of life, plwha, psychosocial factors