Evaluating Quality of Life and Marital Contentment among Seroconcordant and Serodiscordant HIV-Infected Couples in Comparison to Non- HIV Couples

Abstract

Background: Quality of life (QOL) and marital contentment, especially marital satisfaction, areimportant aspects of life. These items are more important in couples involved in HIV due to the presentsocial stigma among this population considering women more vulnerable. The aim of this study wasto determine the QOL and marital contentment status among seroconcordant and serodiscordant HIVcouples compared to non-HIV ones.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 66 serodiscordant, 74 seroconcordant, and 70 non-HIVcouples who referred to Lavan High-risk Behavior Counseling Center, Shiraz during September 2017and December 2019 were studied. QOL and marital contentment were assessed by World HealthOrganization Quality of Life-BRIEF (WHOQOL BREF) and ENRICH questionnaire, respectively.Chi-square test for qualitative variables, independent T-test and ANOVA followed by LSD post hoctest for quantitative variables were performed. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS19.0, and p Results: The score of QOL questionnaire was significantly higher in non-HIV couples thanserodiscordant and seroconcordant groups (p <0.001). There was no significant difference amongseroconcordant and serodiscordant groups (P=0.99), and infected males vs. females (P=0.13). Non-HIV couples had significantly higher marital contentment in comparison to serodiscordant andseroconcordant groups (p <0.001). No difference was detected among seroconcordant and serodiscordantgroups (P=0.81) although more contentment was observed among the males (P=0.01).Conclusion: Our study revealed that QOL and marital contentment were different among non-HIV and HIVinfected couples. Besides, marital contentment was higher among males than female’s in infected patients.

Keywords

• hiv
• marital therapy
• quality of life
• sex