title: Quality of life and related factors among HIV-positive spouses from serodiscordant couples under antiretroviral therapy in Henan Province, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the quality of life and related factors in HIV-positive spouses undergoing ART from discordant couples.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,009 HIV-positive spouses from serodiscordant couples in Zhumadian, Henan Province, between October 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009. HIV-positive spouses were interviewed by local health professionals. Quality of life was evaluated by WHOQOL (Chinese Version). A multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the related factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of subjects were female (56.39%), had received a high school education (44%), were of Han ethnicity (98.41%), and were farmers (90.09%); the median time period of receiving ART was 3.92 years. The physical, psychological, social, and environmental QOL scores of the subjects were 12.91±1.95, 12.35±1.80, 13.96±2.43, and 12.45±1.91 respectively. The multiple linear regression model identified the physical domain related factors to be CD4 count, educational level, and occupation; psychological domain related factors include age, educational level, and reported STD symptom; social domain related factors included education level; and environmental domain related factors included education level, reported STD symptoms, and occupation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Being younger, a farmer, having a lower level of education, a reported STD symptom, or lower CD4 count, could decrease one's quality of life, suggesting that the use of blanket ART programs alone may not necessarily improve quality of life. Subjects received lower scores in the psychological domain, suggesting that psychological intervention may also need to be strengthened.
authors: National Center for AIDS/STD Control & Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors: Duo
authors: D
authors: Shan
authors: Zeng
authors: Z
authors: Ge
authors: Shuai
authors: S
authors: Ming
authors: Lan
authors: L
authors: Wang
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Sante
authors: Wensheng
authors: W
authors: He
authors: Jianping
authors: J
authors: Zhou
authors: Shanglong
authors: S
authors: Liu
authors: Lu
authors: L
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life