The interplay of HIV, female sexual dysfunction and quality of life among women in North-western Nigeria: a comparative study

Background: Antiretroviral therapy has markedly increased life expectancy among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), yet the long-term impact of chronic HIV infection on women's quality of life (QoL) and sexual functioning remains poorly understood. Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is common in women and may impair psychological well-being and social relationships. Understanding how HIV infection intersects with FSD and QoL could inform holistic care for women in resource-limited settings.Objective: To compare QoL and FSD between women living with HIV and HIV-negative women and to identify socio-demographic predictors of poor QoL.Methods: We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study in 2024 among 200 women on antiretroviral therapy and 200 age-matched HIV-negative women attending the general outpatient clinic at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria. Participants were recruited through systematic sampling; research assistants provided study information and obtained written informed consent. Quality of life was assessed with the World Health Organization Quality of Life 26-item Brief questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). Female sexual function was screened with the 19-item Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI); a total score ≤26.55 denoted FSD. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests, independent t-tests and multivariable logistic regression.Results: The mean (±SD) age of participants was 37.1 ± 9.4 years. Overall QoL was significantly worse among women with HIV than HIV-negative women (53% vs 63% reporting good QoL, p = 0.043). Mean QoL scores were lower in the HIV-positive group for the psychological (61 ± 18 vs 54 ± 14; p < 0.001) and environmental domains (69 ± 20 vs 65 ± 16; p < 0.001), while physical and social domain scores were comparable. FSD was highly prevalent in both groups (96% in HIV-positive and 98% in HIV-negative participants; p = 0.40), and FSFI scores were not associated with QoL. In multivariable analysis, rural residence (adjusted odds ratio 3.30, 95% CI 1.31-8.98) and primary-level education (aOR 3.06, 95% CI 1.50-6.38) independently predicted poor QoL.Conclusions: Women living with HIV experience poorer overall QoL than HIV-negative peers, particularly in psychological and environmental domains. Interventions that improve living conditions, strengthen psychosocial support and integrate sexual and mental health services into HIV care, are needed to improve the well-being of women in North-western Nigeria.