ASSOCIATION OF REGULAR ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY USE WITH QUALITY OF LIFE AND INCIDENCE OF COINFECTIONS IN PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS

Abstract

Introduction: This research investigates the association between adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), quality of life, and the incidence of co-infections among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), as well as to characterise the sociodemographic and clinical profile of this population. Objective: The goal of ART is to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with HIV and improve quality of life and life expectancy, not to eradicate the infection, since there is still no cure. Methodology: A cross-sectional observational study conducted at a reference infectious disease hospital in Goiânia, Brazil, from August 2024 to January 2025, with a convenience sample of 100 PLHIV receiving outpatient or inpatient care. Data were collected through a self-administered digital questionnaire made available on the Google Forms platform, including a sociodemographic and clinical survey and the HIV/AIDS- Targeted Quality of Life (HAT-QoL) instrument. ART adherence was classified as regular use, irregular use, or non- adherence. Descriptive analyses and non-parametric tests (Fisher’s Exact Test and Kruskal–Wallis test) were applied, adopting a 5% level of significance. Results: Most participants were male (85%),
with a mean age of 31 years, an HIV diagnosis of less than five years (68%), and regular ART use (65%). Co-infections were reported by 49% of participants, with tuberculosis being the most prevalent. A statistically significant association was observed between ART adherence and a lower incidence of co-infections (p < 0.001), as well as significantly higher quality-of-life scores across all evaluated domains among individuals with regular medication use (p < 0.001). The domain related to concerns about confidentiality presented the lowest scores. Conclusion: Regular adherence to ART is associated with a lower occurrence of co-infections and improved QoL among PLHIV.