Quality of life among HIV-infected patients in Brazil after initiation of treatment
Clinics
;
64(9): 867-875, 2009. tab
Artigo
em Inglês
| LILACS
| ID: lil-526326
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Despite improvement in clinical treatment for HIV-infected patients, the impact of antiretroviral therapy on the overall quality of life has become a major concern.OBJECTIVE:
To identify factors associated with increased levels of self-reported quality of life among HIV-infected patients after four months of antiretroviral therapy.METHODS:
Patients were recruited at two public health referral centers for AIDS, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, for a prospective adherence study. Patients were interviewed before initiating treatment (baseline) and after one and four months. Quality of life was assessed using a psychometric instrument, and factors associated with good/very good quality of life four months after the initiation of antiretroviral therapy were assessed using a cross-sectional approach. Logistic regression was used for analysis.RESULTS:
Overall quality of life was classified as 'very good/good' by 66.4 percent of the participants four months after initiating treatment, while 33.6 percent classified it as 'neither poor nor good/poor/very poor'. Logistic regression indicated that >8 years of education, none/mild symptoms of anxiety and depression, no antiretroviral switch, lower number of adverse reactions and better quality of life at baseline were independently associated with good/very good quality of life over four months of treatment.CONCLUSIONS:
Our results highlight the importance of modifiable factors such as psychiatric symptoms and treatment-related variables that may contribute to a better quality of life among patients initiating treatment. Considering that poor quality of life is related to non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy, careful clinical monitoring of these factors may contribute to ensuring the long-term effectiveness of antiretroviral regimens.
Texto completo:
DisponíveL
Índice:
LILACS (Américas)
Assunto principal:
Ansiedade
/
Qualidade de Vida
/
Infecções por HIV
/
Fármacos Anti-HIV
/
Depressão
Tipo de estudo:
Estudo observacional
/
Estudo prognóstico
/
Pesquisa qualitativa
/
Fatores de risco
Limite:
Adulto
/
Feminino
/
Humanos
/
Masculino
País/Região como assunto:
América do Sul
/
Brasil
Idioma:
Inglês
Revista:
Clinics
Assunto da revista:
Medicina
Ano de publicação:
2009
Tipo de documento:
Artigo
/
Documento de projeto
País de afiliação:
Brasil
Instituição/País de afiliação:
Federal University of Minas Gerais/BR
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