Introduction: The health-related quality of life (HRQL) is therefore a highly important tool for the evaluation of the health status of HIV positive patients. However, very little information is available about the differences between HRQL in men and women. The aim of this study is to analyse gender differences in HRQL in HIV positive patients.
Methodology: A sample group of 540 patients infected with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral treatment was studied. All of these patients attended outpatient appointments in the infectious disease units of four hospitals in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. HRQL was measured using the MOS-HIV health survey, which had been validated for use in this setting.
Results: One hundred forty-nine women (26.6%) and 411 men (73.4%) took part in the study. On the whole, the women were younger, more likely to be married and had more children. The men, on the other hand, were more likely to present with coinfection with hepatitis C, have a history of intravenous drug use, be undergoing methadone treatment or have lower levels of CD4. Both the overall average scores and the scores for specific dimensions were higher in women than in men. When these scores were adjusted using different clinical variables, these differences were not statistically significant. Amongst the women, psychic morbidity, longer periods of time as HIV carriers and low levels of social support were linked to lower MHS and PHS scores. An independent link was established between older age and a lower PHS score. Amongst the men, psychic morbidity, difficulty in taking tablets, intravenous drug use and low levels of social support were linked to lower PHS and MHS scores. AIDS and a higher number of antiretroviral medicines were linked to a lower PHS score.
Conclusions: By carrying out an analysis according to gender it is possible to see different factors associated with a poorer quality of physical and mental health. This makes it possible to identify areas which could be developed and to optimise results in terms of patients' health.