title: Quality of life in persons living with HIV in Burkina Faso: a follow-up over 12 months.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Burkina Faso, very little is known about the quality of life of persons living with HIV through their routine follow- up. This study aimed to assess the quality of life of persons living with HIV, and its change over a 1-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and twenty four (424) persons living with HIV were monitored during twelve (12) months from September 2012 to September 2013 in Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso. Three interviews were conducted in order to assess the quality of life of patients and its change over time, using the World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment brief scale in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection (WHOQOL HIV-BREF). The Friedman test was used to assess significant differences in quantitative variables at each of the three follow-up interviews. Groups at baseline, at 6 months and at 12 months were compared using Wilcoxon signed rank test for quantitative data and McNemar test for qualitative variables. Pearson Chi(2) was used when needed. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit to estimate adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Trends in global quality of life score and subgroups (status related to Highly Active Anti Retroviral Treatment (HAART) using univariate repeated measures analysis of variance were assessed. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, quality of life scores were highest in the domain of spirituality, religion and personal beliefs (SRPB) and lowest in the environmental domain. This trend was maintained during the 12-month follow-up. The global score increased significantly from the beginning up to the twelfth month of follow-up. Over the 12 months, the baseline factors that were likely to predict an increase in the global quality of life score were: not having support from relatives for medical care (P = 0.04), being under HAART (P = 0.001), being self-perceived as healthy (P = 0.03), and having a global quality of life score under 77 (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest the need to promote interventions to empower people living with HIV/AIDS through income generating activities. Such activities will enhance the quality of life of persons living with HIV in Burkina Faso. This could focus mostly on treatment-naïve HIV patients, lacking support from relatives and those who perceive themselves as ill.
authors.affiliation: Pôle Epidémiologie et Biostatistique, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Faculté de Santé Publique, Université catholique de Louvain, Clos Chapelle-aux-Champs 30, 1200, Brussels, Belgium. f.bakiono@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Fidèle
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bakiono
authors.affiliation: Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la santé, Université de Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. guiguimdew@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Patrice Wendpouiré Laurent
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Guiguimdé
authors.affiliation: Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la santé, Université de Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. mahamoudsanou@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Mahamoudou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanou
authors.affiliation: Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la santé, Université de Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. laurent_tikar@yahoo.fr.|Institut Régional de Santé Publique de Ouidah, Ouidah, Bénin. laurent_tikar@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ouédraogo
authors.affiliation: Pôle Epidémiologie et Biostatistique, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Faculté de Santé Publique, Université catholique de Louvain, Clos Chapelle-aux-Champs 30, 1200, Brussels, Belgium. annie.robert@uclouvain.be.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Robert
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002050:Burkina Faso / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception; D012944:Social Support