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FACTORS INFLUENCING QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG PEOPLE LIVING WITH HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (PLHIV) IN COASTAL SOUTH INDIA



Abstract: Background: Anti Retro-viral Therapy (ART) has increased life expectancy of HIV/AIDS patients, but the quality of life (QOL) still remains the same. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, 356 PLHIV were interviewed to assess their QOL using WHOQOL- HIV Bref questionnaire. The association between QOL with socio-demographic, clinical and co-habitation status of the participants was tested using ANOVA and student t-test, and P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Physical domain of QOL showed maximum score of 16.4, while a minimum score of 12.2, was seen in social relationship domain. Participants with higher Socio Economic Status (SES) and self-motivated to take ART had shown better scores across all the domains of QOL (P<0.05). Conclusion: In our study, Quality Of Life was high among males, younger patients, married participants, higher socio economic status, longer duration of ART, self-motivation to take ART, absence of opportunistic infection and with higher CD4 count.