Publication Cover
AIDS Care
Psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV
Volume 24, 2012 - Issue 10
772
Views
25
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Is quality of life poorer for older adults with HIV/AIDS? International evidence using the WHOQOL-HIV

Pages 1219-1225 | Received 31 Aug 2011, Accepted 25 Jan 2012, Published online: 20 Mar 2012
 

Abstract

Increasingly older adults are being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. In 2002, UNAIDS indicated that 13 aspects of quality of life (QoL) were poorer for older adults, but only sparse, inconsistent cross-cultural evidence is available. This statement was investigated using a reliable, valid measure (the WHOQOL-HIV) distributed in nine cultures (eight countries). HIV positive and well adults (n = 2089) were assessed across 30 QoL facets; 403 were 40+ years. It was confirmed that sleep, fatigue and sex-life were poorer areas of QoL for older HIV adults than younger. Furthermore, they could be misinterpreted as normal ageing signs. Moreover, older people reported greater dependency on medication. However, older HIV adults had better QoL than expected on 11 dimensions; negative feelings, social inclusion, and several environmental and spiritual facets. This highlights the extent of poor QoL in younger adults. After accounting for culture and gender, overall QoL and health in older HIV adults was explained by eight facets comprising 61.3% of the variance. Social relationships were paramount, especially personal relationships (41%), but support and sex-life also. Energy, negative feelings, cognitions, financial resources and HIV symptoms also contributed. Social interventions for ageing communities would improve well-being. This evidence could support global ageing and HIV policy.

Acknowledgements

I am indebted to the WHOQOL-HIV Group which comprises a coordinating group of collaborating investigators: Dr R. Billington, Dr J. Orley, Dr S Saxena, Ms M. Lotfy, Mr M. Bartos, Dr P. Chandra, Dr M. Fleck, Dr L. Bun Hor, Dr R. Bhargava, Prof F. Starace, Dr S. Pkhidenko, Dr K. Meesapya, Dr A. Haworth, Dr J. Mutimbirwa and Dr K. O'Connell. Further information on the WHOQOL can be obtained at http://www.who.int/mental_health/media/en/613.pdf and http://www.bath.ac.uk/whoqol. I am grateful to Help the Aged and United Nations International Institute on Ageing, and colleagues who attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Expert Workshop on HIV/AIDS and Older people IV/HIV/H, Valletta, Malta in 2005.

Log in via your institution

Log in to Taylor & Francis Online

PDF download + Online access

  • 48 hours access to article PDF & online version
  • Article PDF can be downloaded
  • Article PDF can be printed
USD 53.00 Add to cart

Issue Purchase

  • 30 days online access to complete issue
  • Article PDFs can be downloaded
  • Article PDFs can be printed
USD 464.00 Add to cart

* Local tax will be added as applicable

Related Research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.