The will to live among HIV-infected patients.
BACKGROUND
Patients infected with HIV value both longevity and health.


OBJECTIVE
To understand how HIV-infected patients value their health.


METHODS
Interview study.


METHODS
Regional treatment center for HIV.


METHODS
51 patients with HIV infection.


METHODS
Life-satisfaction, health rating, time-tradeoff, and standard-gamble scores.


RESULTS
Of the 51 patients, 49% (95% CI, 35% to 63%) said that their life was better currently than it was before they contracted HIV infection; only 29% said that life was currently worse. The mean (+/- SD) time-tradeoff score was 0.95 +/- 0.10, indicating that, on average, patients would give up no more than 5% of their remaining life expectancy in their current state of health in exchange for a shorter but healthy life. The average health rating score was 71.0 +/- 18.7 on a scale of 0 to 100, and the average standard-gamble score was 0.80 +/- 0.27. Factors contributing to life satisfaction and time-tradeoff scores included spirituality and having children.


CONCLUSIONS
Many patients with HIV have a strong will to live, and many feel that life with HIV is better than it was before they became infected.
Tsevat
J
J
Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati Medical Center and SNS Research, Ohio 45267-0535, USA. Joel.Tsevat@uc.edu
Sherman
S N
SN
McElwee
J A
JA
Mandell
K L
KL
Simbartl
L A
LA
Sonnenberg
F A
FA
Fowler
F J
FJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012067:Religion; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D026712:Value of Life