'What doesn't kill you. . .': A qualitative analysis of factors impacting the quality of life of people living with HIV.

Ballesty, KL; Newton-John, TR; Hennessy, RM; Alperstein, DM; Begley, K; Bulsara, SM

'What doesn't kill you. . .': A qualitative analysis of factors impacting the quality of life of people living with HIV.

Ballesty, KL Newton-John, TR Hennessy, RM Alperstein, DM Begley, K Bulsara, SM

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Publisher:: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: J Health Psychol, 2024, pp. 13591053241235091
Issue Date:: 2024-02-27

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Ballesty, KL
dc.contributor.author	Newton-John, TR
dc.contributor.author	Hennessy, RM
dc.contributor.author	Alperstein, DM
dc.contributor.author	Begley, K
dc.contributor.author	Bulsara, SM
dc.date.accessioned	2024-09-24T05:06:13Z
dc.date.available	2024-09-24T05:06:13Z
dc.date.issued	2024-02-27
dc.identifier.citation	J Health Psychol, 2024, pp. 13591053241235091
dc.identifier.issn	1359-1053
dc.identifier.issn	1461-7277
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/180944
dc.description.abstract	Despite viral suppression, people living with HIV (PLHIV) report lower quality of life (QoL) than the general population, negatively impacting treatment adherence and wellbeing. This qualitative study explored factors influencing QoL of PLHIV. Participants completed a QoL questionnaire, with cut-off scores used to allocate participants into Low-Moderate QoL (n = 11) or High-Very High QoL (n = 10) focus groups. Thematic analysis indicated convergence across factors perceived to impact QoL, with some notable discrepancies. Socioeconomic stability, social connection and support, maintaining good health, adaptive attitudes and reduced impact of stigma were perceived to improve QoL, while obstacles to connection, ageing and poor HIV literacy in the general population were perceived to worsen QoL in both groups. The Low-Moderate QoL group alone identified socioeconomic stressors and ongoing burden of negative life experiences worsened their QoL. Results are presented in the context of local and global HIV health strategies, with implications for clinical management noted.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
dc.relation.ispartof	J Health Psychol
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1177/13591053241235091
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy, 1701 Psychology, 1702 Cognitive Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Public Health
dc.subject.classification	5201 Applied and developmental psychology
dc.subject.classification	5203 Clinical and health psychology
dc.title	'What doesn't kill you. . .': A qualitative analysis of factors impacting the quality of life of people living with HIV.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy
utslib.for	1701 Psychology
utslib.for	1702 Cognitive Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHT - Health Technologies
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Graduate School of Health
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Graduate School of Health/GSH.Clinical Psychology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Centre for Health Technologies (CHT)
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2024-09-24T05:06:12Z
pubs.publication-status	Published online

Abstract:

Despite viral suppression, people living with HIV (PLHIV) report lower quality of life (QoL) than the general population, negatively impacting treatment adherence and wellbeing. This qualitative study explored factors influencing QoL of PLHIV. Participants completed a QoL questionnaire, with cut-off scores used to allocate participants into Low-Moderate QoL (n = 11) or High-Very High QoL (n = 10) focus groups. Thematic analysis indicated convergence across factors perceived to impact QoL, with some notable discrepancies. Socioeconomic stability, social connection and support, maintaining good health, adaptive attitudes and reduced impact of stigma were perceived to improve QoL, while obstacles to connection, ageing and poor HIV literacy in the general population were perceived to worsen QoL in both groups. The Low-Moderate QoL group alone identified socioeconomic stressors and ongoing burden of negative life experiences worsened their QoL. Results are presented in the context of local and global HIV health strategies, with implications for clinical management noted.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/180944