Assessing Quality of Life of People Living with HIV/ AIDS in Manipur: An In-Depth Analysis

Introduction: The paper attempts to assess quality of life (QOL) outcomes at facet level and the factors affecting it to gain micro level understanding of the disease burden and to highlight key problematic areas faced by people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in Manipur, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study with 200 PLHA (≥18 years of age) were recruited from 4 NGO centers in Imphal and Chandel using WHOQOL-HIV instrument. ANOVA and logistic regression tests were performed to compare and predict factors influencing QoL outcomes respectively. Results: In the ANOVA model, Physical and social relationships domains (<11) in Imphal, and SRPB and physical domains (<11.20) in Chandel showed poorest QOL outcomes. QOL outcome was reported poor for most facets across the six domains. Financial resources emerged as the worst affected QOL outcomes for both localities followed closely by dependence on treatment, HIV symptoms for Imphal and SRPB, concern about the future for Chandel. In the regression model, employment, clinical status, locality, gender and marital status emerged as significant predictors affecting QoL outcomes. Conclusion: Investments to improve better infrastructure, healthcare services, connectivity, and financial intervention for self-reliance and HIV/AIDS education including safer sex practices could positively affect QoL outcomes in many of the facets.