Assessment of quality of life among patients attending HIV clinics in Ilorin metropolis

Abstract

The Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), is being hit hard by the epidemic of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and carries the globe's heaviest burden of HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS has been transformed into a chronic condition, albeit one with no cure, making it important to assess determinants of quality of life (QoL) and, if required, improve the QoL of People Living with HIV (PLHIV). The study assessed the determinants of quality of life of patients attending HIV clinics in Ilorin metropolis. Methods: The study was a descriptive cross sectional study. A sample size of 384 HIV positive patients who were systematically recruited at the 5 public service delivery sites in Ilorin. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 20.0. Level of significance was predetermined at p-value < 0.05 at a confidence level of 95%. Results: Majority 213 (55.5%) of the respondents had good QoL, while 171 (44.5%) had low QoL with overall Mean score of 68±14. This study showed that being employed, high income, and low cost of care were associated with good health related (HRQoL). Regression analysis revealed that age > 30yrs (odds = 1.5), longer duration on Highly Active Anti-retroviral Therapy (HAART) >3yrs (Odds = 1.5), CD4 count 3 >500cells/mm (Odds = 1.2), high monthly income (Odds=1.6) and low cost of care (Odds= 1.27) were found to determine good QoL. Conclusion: Government should therefore expand access to HIV care by considering more Primary Health Care facilities as Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) treatment centers.

Factors associated with viral non-suppression among patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

“…Regarding using drugs at the right time, more than half of the participants often forget to use their drugs and, in most cases, skip the drugs due to their work schedule. This finding is also similar to what was observed by a study conducted on the assessment of the quality of life of patients attending HIV clinics in Ilorin, Kwara State, where some of the respondents also reported not meeting up with clinic schedules due to lack of transportation fare, clinic appointments clashing with the work schedule, and forgetfulness (14). More adherent PLHIV probably had better…”