Health-related quality of life of perinatally HIV-infected young people: a longitudinal study

ABSTRACT

Young people perinatally infected with HIV (pHIV) are at risk of a lowered health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Previous evaluation of the NeurOlogical, VIsual and Cognitive performance in HIV-infected Children (NOVICE)-cohort showed no difference in HRQOL between pHIV and matched HIV-uninfected controls (HIV-), yet a higher percentage of pHIV had impaired HRQOL. The aim of this study is to compare the change over time in HRQOL of pHIV to HIV- over a 5-year period. We used the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL)™ 4.0 to repeat HRQOL assessment. High PedsQL scores indicate good HRQOL. Fifteen/33 (45.5%) pHIV and 17/37 (45.9%) HIV- completed both assessments. At the first assessment, the mean age was 13.1 years (range 8.0–18.4). PHIV scored higher than HIV- on Emotional functioning and on Total scale score. After five years, the mean age was 17.6 years (range 12.1–22.8). PHIV scored higher than HIV- on all scales, except Social functioning. PHIV did not differ significantly from the Dutch norm on either time-point. LMEM showed no difference in change over time for any of the PedsQL scales. In this study, young people with pHIV receiving high-quality health care, including monitoring of HRQOL, remain to experience a good HRQOL.

KEYWORDS:

• Perinatal HIV infection
• health-related Quality of life
• children
• adolescents

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all study participants, their parents, and HIV pediatric nurses at the outpatient department. This work was supported by AIDSfonds (grant number 2015009).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Aids Fonds: [Grant Number 2015009].