Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Measuring health related quality of life among women living with HIV

  • Published:
Quality of Life Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Although women had been under recognized in the literature on HIV/AIDS, increasing numbers of studies have focused on the lives and experiences of women living with HIV/AIDS. Areas of research in which the study of women and HIV continues to be noticeably lacking include health related quality of life (HRQOL). This paper describes HRQOL in an inner city sample of 287 HIV positive non-pregnant women, interviewed as part of a larger multi-site CDC funded study of the reproductive health of women. The average age of the respondents was 33 years and women had known their HIV status an average of 41 months. HRQOL was assessed using a 17-item modified version of the Medical Outcomes Study-HIV Health Survey and demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (0.64-0.89) and variability. Women in our study were similar to other HIV-positive female samples and reported lower levels of well-being and functioning than some HIV-positive male samples. Women's responses to individual items and areas of potential need for health care are discussed. Examination of HRQOL in women with HIV can aid in the comparison of how women and men are affected by HIV and can help health care professionals identify needed services and include possible interventions to promote quality of life.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report: US HIV and AIDS cases reported through December 1999. Year End Edition 2000; 11: 1-45.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Quinn SC. AIDS and the African-American woman: The triple burden of race, class, and gender. Health Education Quarterly 1993; 20: 305–320.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Carretero MD, Burgess AD, Soler P, Soler M, Catalan J. Reliability and validity of an HIV-specific health related quality of life measure for use with injecting drug users. AIDS; 10: 1699–1705.

  4. Cleary PD, Fowler FJ, Weissman J, et al. Health related quality of life among persons with AIDS. Med Care 1993; 31: 569–580.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Copfer AE, Ampel NM, Hughes TE, et al. The use of two measures of health-related quality of life in HIV-infected individuals: A cross-sectional comparison. Qual Life Res 1996; 5: 281–286.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Franchi D, Wenzel RP. Measuring health related quality of life among patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Clin Infect Dis 1998; 26: 20–26.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Friedland J, Renwick R, McColl M. Coping and social support as determinants of quality of life in HIV/AIDS. AIDS Care 1996; 8: 15–31.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Holmes WC, Shea JA. Two approaches to measuring quality of life in the HIV/AIDS population: HAT-Qol and MOS-HIV. Qual Life Res 1999; 8: 515–527.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Larrabee KD, Monga M, Eriksen N, Helfgott A. Quality of life assessment in pregnant women with the human immu-nodeficiency virus. Obstetrics & Gynecology 1996; 88: 1016–1020.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Lenderking WR, Testa MA, Katzenstein D, Hammer S. Measuring quality of life in early HIV disease: The modular approach. Qual Life Res 1997; 6: 515–530.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Linn JG, Anema MG, Hodess S, Sharpe C, Cain VA. Perceived health, HIV illness, and mental distress in African American clients of AIDS counseling centers. JANAC 1996; 7: 43–51.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Linn JG, Poku KA, Cain VA, Holzapfel KM, Crawford DF. Psychosocial outcomes of HIV illness in male and female African American clients. Social Work in Health Care 1995; 21: 43–60.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Lubeck DP, Fries JF. Changes in quality of life among persons with HIV infection. Qual Life Res 1992; 1: 359–366.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lutendorf S, Antoni MH, Schneiderman N, Fletcher MA. Psychosocial counseling to improve quality of life in HIV infection. Patient Education and Counseling 1994; 24: 217–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Novotna L, Wilson TE, Minkoff HL, et al. Predictors and risk taking consequences of drug use among HIV-infected women. J AIDS Human Retrovirol 1999; 20: 502–507.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Nunes JA, Raymond SJ, Nicholas PK, Leuner JD, Webster A. Social support, quality of life, immune function, and health in persons living with HIV. J Holistic Nursing 1995; 13: 174–198.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Piette J, Wachtel TJ, Mor V, Mayer K. The impact of age on the quality of life in persons with HIV infection. J Aging and Health 1995; 7: 163–178.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Revicki DA, Wu AW, Brown R. Change in clinical status, health status, and health utility outcomes in HIV-infected patients. Med Care 1995; 33: AS173–AS182.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Sarna L, van Servellen G, Padilla G, Brecht ML. Quality of life in women with symptomatic HIV/AIDS. J Advanced Nursing 1999; 30: 597–605.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Semple SJ, Patterson TL, Straits-Troster K, Atkinson JH, McCutchan JA, Grant I. Social and psychological characteristics of HIV infected women and gay men. HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center (HNRC Group). Women Health 1996; 24: 17–41.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Shumaker SA, Ellis S, Naughton M. Assessing health related quality of life in HIV disease: Key measurement issues. Qual Life Res 1997; 6: 475–480.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Smith MY, Feldman J, Kelly P, DeHovitz JA, Chirgwin K, Minkoff H. Health-related quality of life of HIV-infected women: Evidence for the reliability, validity and responsiveness of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 20. Qual Life Res 1996; 5: 47–55.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Sowell RL, Seals BF, Moneyham L, Demi A, Cohen L, Brake S. Quality of life in HIV-infected women in the South-Eastern United States. AIDS Care 1997; 9: 501–512.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Spalding AD. Racial minorities and other high-risk groups with HIV and AIDS at increased risk for psychosocial adjustment problems in association with health locus of control orientation. Social Work in Health Care 1995; 21: 81–114.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Swindells S, Mohr J, Justis JC, et al. Quality of life in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection: Impact of social support, coping style and hopelessness. Int J STD and AIDS 1999; 10: 383–391.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Tsevat J, Solzan JG, Kuntz KM, et al. Health values of patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. Med Care 1996; 34: 44–57.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Wachtel T, Piette J, Mor V, Stein M, Fleishman J, Carpenter C. Quality of life in persons with human immunodeficiency virus infection: Measurement by the medical outcomes study instrument. Ann Internal Med 1992; 116:129–137.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Wu AW, Jacobson DL, Berzon RA, et al. The effect of mode of administration on Medical Outcomes Study health ratings and EuroQol scores in AIDS. Qual Life Res 1997; 6:3–10.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Wu AW, Revicki DA, Malitz FE. Evidence for the reliability, validity and usefulness of the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV). Qual Life Res 1997; 6: 481–493.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Wu AW, Rubin WC. Approaches to health status assessment in HIV disease: Overview of the conference. Psychol Health 1994; 9: 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Wu AW, Rubin WC. Measuring health status and quality of life in HIV and AIDS. Psychol Health 1992; 6: 251–264.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Wu AW, Rubin WC, Mathews WC, et al. Functional status and well-being in a placebo-controlled trial of Zidovudine in early symptomatic HIV infection. J AIDS 1993; 6: 452–458.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wu AW, Rubin HR, Mathews WC, et al. A health status questionnaire using 30 items from the Medical Outcomes Study: Preliminary validation in persons with early HIV infection. Med Care 1991; 29: 786–798.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Farquhar M. Definitions of quality of life: A taxonomy. J Advanced Nursing 1995; 22: 502–508.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Andrews FM, Withey SB. Social Indicators of Well-being. New York: Plenum Press, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Chu S, Buehler J, Berkelman R. Impact of the human im-munodeficiency virus epidemic on mortality in women of reproductive age, United States. JAMA 1990; 264: 225–229.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. American Psychological Association. Research Agenda for Psychosocial and Behavioral Factors in Women's Health. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Fowler MG, Melnick SL, Mathieson BJ. Women and HIV: Epidemiology and global perspective. Obstet Gynecol Clinics of North America 1997; 24: 705–729.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Robinson JP, Shaver PR, Wrightman LS. Measures of Personality and Social Psychological Attitudes, Vol. 1, In: Measures of Social Psychological Attitudes Series. New York: Academic Press, Inc., 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Nunnally JC. Psychometric Theory. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

    K.A. McDonnell, A.C. Gielen, A.W. Wu, P. O'Campo & R. Faden

  2. Department of Health Policy and Management, USA

    K.A. McDonnell, A.C. Gielen, A.W. Wu, P. O'Campo & R. Faden

Authors
  1. K.A. McDonnell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A.C. Gielen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A.W. Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. P. O'Campo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. R. Faden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

McDonnell, K., Gielen, A., Wu, A. et al. Measuring health related quality of life among women living with HIV. Qual Life Res 9, 931–940 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008909919456

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008909919456

Search

Navigation