Determinants of quality of life among people living with HIV in the hilly region of Myanmar

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine quality of life and its associating factors among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the hilly region of Myanmar. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the National AIDS Program and Integrated HIV Care Program in Myanmar. A total of 326 PLHIV were recruited, of whom 49.1% had high QOL. Adherence to ART (AOR: 5.18; 95% CI: 2.02–13.31), high social capital (AOR: 3.16; 95% CI: 1.85–5.38), being male (AOR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.27–3.83), asymptomatic (AOR: 2.18; 95% CI: 1.24–3.83), low self-stigma (AOR: 2.85; 95% CI: 1.61–5.04), and time spent at the clinic less than 30 min (AOR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.15–4.08) were significant predictors of quality of life (QOL) among PLHIV. This study revealed that social factors such as HIV stigma and gender issues are important determinants of QOL in addition to health service factors and clinical outcomes.

Keywords:

• determinants
• HIV
• quality of life
• Myanmar

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank people living with HIV and the responsible persons at National AIDS Program and Integrated HIV Care (IHC) program in Taunggyi, Shan State, Myanmar.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflict of interest.