ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS ATTENDING ANTI-RETROVIRAL CLINICS IN KOGI STATE

Abstract

The acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a fatal illness caused by a retrovirus known as the human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) which breaks down the body's immune system, leaving the victim vulnerable to a host of life threatening opportunistic infections, and as such undermining the quality of life (QOL) of PLWHA and reversing the gains made in social and economic development of both individuals and groups. However, there is little information from developing countries on people living with HIV/AIDS attending anti-retroviral clinics in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, quality of life, and socioeconomic factors influencing quality of life. Objective: To determine the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS in Kogi State. Methods: A Cross-Sectional study was used to assess the quality of life of PL WHA attending antiretroviral clinics in Kogi state. The sample consisted of 252 PL WA aged 18 years or older who were interviewed using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Information collected included socio-demographic characteristics, occupation, individual income, and social support from family and friends. Quality of life was assessed using the 31-item WHOQOL-HIVbref questionnaire (scores range 4-;W). Results: Sixty-two percent of the participants were females, mean age was 34 years, 38.9% had attended or completed secondary school. Mean CD4 count was 306.60/mm3 . Thirty-nine percent were traders: for individual income, 41.7% reported having a source of income. Forty-four percent reported a minimum monthly income of N5000 and above. There were statistically significant differences in mean scores of quality of life for the level of independence domain according to gender, with males having lower scores ( 13.9) in the same domain. Men also had the lowest scores for the social relationship~ and environmental domains. Women were seen to have higher overall quality of life in all domains except in the / spirituality/religion/belief domain. Conclusions: Despite differences in sex, occupation, income, CD4 count and clinical infection status, people living with HIV/AIDS had better quality of life in physical and psychological health domains but lower quality in social relationships and environment domains. The latter domain could reflect stigmatization and discrimination associated to the difficulties of disclosing their HIV status in social settings. The implication of this study hinged on the fact that the quality of life of PLWHA as important as it is could be influenced by some factors which if known, could be appropriated to the advantage of improving the quality of life of the PLWHA in Nigeria.