Health-related quality of life of people living with HIV infection in Spain: a gender perspective

ABSTRACT

Studies exploring gender differences in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are scarce and contradictory. This study evaluated gender differences in HRQOL of 744 PLWHA with median (IQR) age 44 (37–48) years and HIV infection diagnosed 12 (5–20) years earlier. Results showed important differences between genders (p < .05). Better male physical health was related to being employed, not having economic worries, not receiving psychological support, not having injected drugs in past, low negative mood HIV-related, low HIV illness representation and internalized stigma, and high body image satisfaction and health behavior. For women, variables were fewer years since HIV diagnosis and low enacted stigma-personal experience of rejection. Mentally, variables in men were being employed, not having injected drugs, having a stable partner, high health behavior, use of problem-solving coping, personal autonomy and personal meaning. In women, better mental health was related to high CD4 cells, self-esteem and body image satisfaction, and negative mood HIV-related. Men and women coincided in absence of past opportunistic infections being related to better physical and mental health, and absence of side effects for physical health and low HIV-related stress and HIV illness representation for mental health. Our results highlight the need for detailed study of gender differences that identify the bio-psycho-socio inequalities that affect HRQOL.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV/AIDS
• health-related quality of life
• gender differences
• physical health
• mental health

Acknowledgements

This paper has been researched and written by the authors on behalf of the Spanish Group for the improvement of quality of life in HIV/AIDS. We wish to express our most sincere gratitude to the following centers for providing us with access to the participants in the study: H.U.“Marqués de Valdecilla” Santander, Hospital General de Castellón, Hospital Xeral de Vigo, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, Hospital Clínico San Carlos de Madrid, Hospital General Universitario de Elche, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Hospital General Universitario de Valencia, Hospital Clínico Universitario Santiago de Compostela, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol (Fundación Lluita contra la Sida) de Barcelona, Hospital Comarcal de la Marina Baixa. Villajoyosa, Hospital Infanta Leonor de Madrid, Hospital de Basurto Bilbao, Hospital la Princesa de Madrid, Hospital de Burgos, Hospital Ramón y Cajal de Madrid, Hospital de Calella, Hospital Rosell. Murcia, Hospital de Donostia, Hospital Son Llàtzer. Palma. Mallorca, Hospital de Figueres. Girona, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau de Barcelona, Hospital Universitario de A Coruña, Hospital de Mataró (Barcelona), Hospital Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Hospital de Sant Pau i Santa Tecla de Tarragona, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet. Zaragoza, Hospital de Vic. Barcelona, Hospital Virgen de las Nieves. Granada, Hospital Francesc de Borja.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Eduardo Remor http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5393-8700

Additional information

Funding

Research made possible with funding from FIPSE Spain (Fundación para la Investigación y Prevención del Sida en España, Project: 36-0743/09).