Revista de SIDA e investigación clínica

Related Factors Associated with Quality of life Assessed Using a Chinese Version of the MOS-HIV Health Survey in People with HIV/AIDS in China

Abstract

Liuyi Zhang, Bingxiang Yang and Jingping Zhang

Objectives: To evaluate the Chinese version of the 35-item Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOSHIV) in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in mainland China and to study its relationship with socio-demographic characteristics and disease-related factors.

Methods: 222 PLWHA recruited from outpatient clinics in Hunan province completed measures of quality of life and related factors.

Results: Internal consistency of the overall score on the Chinese version of the MOS-HIV was high (α=0.95); internal consistency of the eight subscales was also high (α=0.79-0.91). Factor analysis of the MOS-HIV revealed a one-factor solution, accounting for 54.97% of the total variance. At linear regression analysis, all domains of quality of life (QOL) and Total Health Summary Score (THS) were correlated with KPS scores (r2 range 0.06-0.32), but only physical function and social function scores showed a significant correlation with CD4 cell count; the MOS-HIV however, did not distinguish between HIV disease stage. Using logistic regression analysis, KPS scores, as well as the variables of marriage, employment status, occupation before diagnosis, somebody to talk to, transmission modality of injection drug use and sex partner HIV positive showed statistically associated with a lower quality of life.

Conclusions: This study presents the first evidence for the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of MOSHIV among PLWHA in mainland China. Lower scores of the MOS-HIV indicate that the QOL of the PLWHA in our study sample have been poor. This was irrespective of the stage of their disease and CD4 cell counts. This questionnaire has the potential to inform interventions aimed at enhancing and maintaining QOL of PLWHA.