Abstract:
Background: Health-related quality of life is becoming an increasingly important issues associated with HIV disease. Identification of factors that determine health related quality of life are important in order to better tailor health and social care services, and thereby improve the functioning and well being of people who are living with HIV. However, little is known about the health related quality of life of people living with HIV in this region. Objective: The main aim of this study is to assess health related quality of life and associated factors among adult people living with HIV/AIDS in South Wollo Zone, North East Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from, June 1-30,2011,in selected health institution in south Wollo zone, North East Ethiopia. Systematic random sampling was utilized to select 394PLHIV;Data on quality of life was collected by trained nurses through face to face interviews using the Amharic version of the World Health Organization quality of Life Instrument for HIV clients. Data was entered to EPI INFO version 2002 and exported to SPSS versions16.0 for further analysis. Descriptive statistics, such as mean and standard deviation, were used to summarize the score of health related quality of life. Independent sample t-test was also used to test mean difference among different health related quality of life domains. Binary Logistic regression, multiple liner regression were used to determine the factors which affects Health related quality of life of people living with HIV. Result: Health related quality of life data were available for 394 persons giving a response rate of 100%. Most of the study(71.1%) participants were ART Naïvewhile29.9 % were taking antiretroviral medication. The mean score of health related quality of life was 13.61 (SD=+2.09). Nearly half 47.2% of all respondents144 (52.2%) of the ART naïve and42(35.6%) ART group did have poor quality of life with mean+SDscore14.3(SD=+1.7) Vs13.3(SD =+2.2) ART groups & ART Naïve, respectively (tdf392 = 4.39, P<o.oo1).In the multivariate analysis PLHIV on ART(AOR = 2.77, 95% CI:(1.61, 4.78)). Those in the 2nd & 3rd income percentiles were(AOR =2.95, 95% CI: (1.17, 7.42) (AOR = 3.68, 95% CI (1.15, 11.78), have more than 95 % adherence to ART(AOR: 3.43, 95% CI: (1.52,7.70), Having treatment supporter(AOR = 1.94, 95%CI, (1.18, 3.19)and have emotional Care giver (AOR =,95% CI, 2.21 (1.15,4.27)were predictors of good health related quality of life. On multiple linear regression highest contribution for quality of life were from environmental domain (B=0.251),Social relationships (B=0.143)and Physical domain (B=0.137) domains (P <0.001) Conclusion and Recommendation: Nearly half of the study population is in poor quality of life. Those who have emotional caregiver; income opportunities & good adherence to ART have demonstrated good quality of life In all aspects, the problem prevails in ART naïve group. Clinicians need to provide educational and counseling programs for PLHIV and their family members side by side to treatment, assigning social worker & adherence counselors in ART clinics is highly beneficial.