European AIDS Clinical Society Resource Library
Abstract presented as a poster at European AIDS Conference, Milan July 2017

Title: Impact of HIV on quality of life: Preliminary data using the HIV Dependent Quality of Life (HIVDQoL) questionnaire in the UK and US
Objectives: To compare the impact of HIV on QoL in the US and UK using the newly developed HIVDQoL (HIV Dependent Quality of Life) questionnaire.

Methods: 255 participants (UK=128, US=127), recruited via the internet, completed the HIVDQoL individually (via post) or with a researcher (via phone). The HIVDQoL, following the template from the ADDQoL for diabetes (Bradley et al 1999) and -DQoLs for other conditions, includes two overview items (generic ‘present QoL’ and ´HIV-specific QoL’) and 26 domain-specific two-part items measuring HIV impact on the domain and domain importance for QoL. Twelve items have a not-applicable option. Impact scores (-3 to +1) are multiplied by importance (3 to 0) to give Weighted Impact (WI) scores. WI scores are summed and divided by the number of applicable items giving an average weighted impact (AWI) score (-9 greatest negative impact to +3 greatest positive impact).

Results: Mean ages of participants: UK 46 (SD=9.19), US 51 (SD=11.69). Time since diagnosis: UK 12 years (SD=8.30), US 18 years (SD=9.29): male/female ratio 99/29 (UK), 104/20 (US). Generic QoL was significantly better in the US (p< 0.001). In 22 of 26 individual domains UK participants reported greater negative impact of HIV on QoL than US participants. Nine differences were significant (Figure 1). For overall AWI scores, a significant difference was found between countries when time since diagnosis was controlled for (p=0.014). In both countries the greatest negative impact on QoL was stigma associated with HIV (mean WI: UK -5.66 [SD 2.96]; US -4.35 [SD 3.22]). Conclusion: The HIVDQoL shows worse generic QoL and greater negative impact of HIV on the QoL of UK participants´ vs US participants. The HIVDQoL reveals specific areas of life most negatively impacted by HIV, highlighting how efforts may be prioritised to meet the greatest challenges for individuals and populations with HIV.