AIDS Research and Treatment (Jan 2017)

Quality of Life of People Living with HIV/AIDS in the Ho Municipality, Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study

  • James Osei-Yeboah,
  • William K. B. A. Owiredu,
  • Gameli Kwame Norgbe,
  • Sylvester Yao Lokpo,
  • Christian Obirikorang,
  • Emmanuel Alote Allotey,
  • John Gameli Deku,
  • Emmanuel Akomanin Asiamah,
  • Nana Yaw Barimah Manaphraim,
  • Prince Senyo Kwasi Nyamadi,
  • Edward Yiadom Boakye,
  • Tibemponi Ntoni,
  • Roseline Avorkliyah,
  • Romeo Asumbasiya Aduko,
  • Seyram Tetteh Quarshie,
  • Maxwell Jenkins Gbemu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/6806951
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2017

Abstract

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Quality of life (QoL) is an important component in the evaluation of the wellbeing of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). This study was aimed at evaluating the QoL of PLHIV attending the antiretroviral clinics in the Ho municipality. A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2017 to April 2017 involving 158 purposively selected HIV-positive patients who were attending the antiretroviral clinics both in the Volta Regional Hospital and Ho Municipal Hospital. An Interviewer administered standard questionnaire (WHOQOL-HIV Bref) was used to collect information on sociodemography, medical history, and the quality of life (QoL) of the respondents. Among these 158 HIV-positive respondents, 126 (79.75) and 14 (8.86) presented with excellent and good overall QoL, respectively, whilst 18 (11.39) had their life negatively affected by HIV/AIDS. Religious/personal beliefs (19.62%) were the most affected QoL component, followed by the physical (15.82%) and level of independence (15.19%) domains. Patients’ occupation, perception of health, sexual activity, and state of the disease were associated with poor overall QoL. In general, being an HIV-infected man, symptomatic patient, not being sexually active, or being ART naïve was also associated with poorer QoL in several HIV/AIDS QoL domains.