What influences quality of life in older people living with HIV?
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AIDS Research and Therapy Open Access
RESEARCH
What influences quality of life in older people living with HIV? Jose Catalan1*, Veronica Tuffrey2, Damien Ridge2, Dana Rosenfeld3 and On behalf of the HALL (HIV and Later Life) Team
Abstract Background: People with HIV with access to treatment are growing older and living healthier lives than in the past, and while health improvements and increased survival rates are welcome, the psychological and social consequences and quality of life of ageing are complex for this group. Understanding how ageing, HIV and quality of life intersect is key to developing effective interventions to improve QoL. Methods: One hundred people with HIV over the age of 50 (range 50–87, mean 58), were recruited through HIV community organizations, and clinics, and included men who have sex with men (MSM), and Black African and White heterosexual men and women. The WHOQOL-HIV BREF was used, as well as the Every Day Memory Questionnaire, and additional questions on anxiety and depression to supplement the WHOQOL. Results: While most rated their quality of life (QoL) positively, bivariate analysis showed that better QoL (total score and most domains) was strongly associated with being a man; in a relationship; in paid employment; having higher level of income; not on benefits, and to a lesser degree with being MSM, having higher level of education, and diagnosed after the age of 40. Multivariate analysis showed that not being on benefits was the variable most consistently associated with better quality of life, as was being partnered. Concerns about everyday memory difficulties, and anxiety and depression scores were strong predictors of poorer quality of life. Conclusion: While the cross-sectional nature of the investigation could not establish that the associations were causal, the findings indicate that concerns about memory difficulties, anxiety and depression, as well as gender, ethnicity, financial factors, and relationship status, are important contributors to QoL in this group. These findings point towards the need for further research to clarify the mechanisms through which the factors identified here affect QoL, and to identify possible interventions to improve the QoL of older people living with HIV. Background People living with HIV with access to effective antiviral treatments nowadays are growing older and living healthier lives than they were before these treatments became available in the mid-1990s [1, 2], while more people are acquiring HIV at an older age [3, 4]. In the UK there are now more than 25,000 people aged 50 and older living with HIV [4]. Yet, while health improvements and much increased survival rates are to be welcomed, the psychological and social consequences of ageing with HIV are *Correspondence: [email protected] 1 CNWL NHS Foundation Trust, South Kensington and Chelsea Mental Health Centre, London, UK Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
complex. Although the individual impact of getting older with HIV can be positive
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