Quality of Life Among Individuals With HIV in Jordan

PURPOSE: People with HIV (PLWH), if treated properly, can now live almost as long as those without the virus (Nakagawa et al., 2012). However, individuals with HIV still experience a significantly reduced quality of life compared to the general population (Miners et al., 2014). Therefore, this study aimed to examine HRQoL among PLWH in Jordan and identify associated factors of HRQoL. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was used. METHOD: Participants were recruited from a non-governmental community support organization. Outcome measures for this study included the EuroQOL-5D and the DASS-21. Descriptive analysis, independent students' t-tests, and chi-square tests were applied. RESULTS: A sample of 80 PLWHs, 72.5% males, with a mean age of 39.38 [+ or -] 9.71 years. The EQ-5D scores showed 50% reported pain/discomfort, and 53.8% reported anxiety/depression. Also, the mean score for the Eq-5D general health was 50 ([+ or -] 36), with females having better general health (p=0.04). The least reported problems were reported in mobility 22.5%, self-care 15%, and the performance of usual task domains 21.2%. The DASS Scores revealed a moderate mean score for depression of 19.28 ([+ or -] 14.4), a severe mean score for stress of 15.2 ([+ or -] 11.2), and a normal mean score for anxiety of 9.08 ([+ or -] 8.6). There was no statistically significant difference in the DASS scores when comparing males and females. Our preliminary analysis has revealed a number of associated sociodemographic and EQ-5D subdomains that predict better HRQoL and psychological well-being in PLWH in Jordan. CONCLUSION: PLWH in Jordan have limited QoL, mainly related to the pain/discomfort and the anxiety/depression domains. Psychologically, they exhibit a high score of anxiety and depression symptoms. Healthcare professionals, occupational therapists in particular, must create and implement appropriate plans and strategies that will enhance the QoL of PLWH and must take into consideration the factors that affect QoL.