Health-related quality of life and physical functioning in people living with HIV/AIDS: a case-control design

Background: Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and functional exercise capacity are important area of therapeutic interventions needed to improve the general health of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). However, the relationship between self-report and Performance-based Measure of Functional Capacity (PMFC) of PLWH is still obscure. This study compared the HRQoL and PMFC between a homogenous sample of clinical stage I PLWH and apparently healthy controls. Methods: This case-control study involved 74 consenting participants (37 PLWH and 37 controls) who completed the self-report SF-12 questionnaire and PMFC assessment using Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT). PMFC was expressed in terms of Six-Minute Walk Distance (6MWD), Six-Minute Walk Work (6MWW) and Maximum oxygen uptake (VO(2)max). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and inferential statistics of independent t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's product moment correlation. Alpha level was set at 0.05. Results: There was no significant difference in the SF-12 Physical-health Component Score (PCS) of PLWH and the controls (p = 0.782). However, the SF-12 Mental-health Component Score (MCS) of PLWH was higher than that of controls (p = 0.040). 6MWD, 6MWW and VO(2)max were significantly lower for PLWH (p < 0.05). Among PLWH, there was no significant gender differences in the PMFC (p > 0.05) while PCS was higher among females. There was no significant correlation between PMFC variables and each of PCS and MCS for PLWH and controls (p > 0.05) respectively. Conclusion: Self-report physical health of clinical stage 1 PLWH and controls was comparable, while self-report mental health capacity was higher in PLWH than the controls. PMFC of PLWH was significantly lower compared to healthy controls without gender bias. Overall, self-report and performance-based measure of physical functional capacity of PLWH was not inter-related. Therefore understanding the factors that may influence exercise capacity of PLWH may help to develop effective exercise programmes for PLWH.