Viral Load, Cd4+ Lymphocytes and Quality of Life of People Living With HIV Using Antiretroviral Therapy

Abstract

The emergence of HIV abruptly impacted health services in 1981, initially affecting restricted social groups. Currently, with the development of antiretroviral therapy, we are faced with a different disease from the one seen in the 80s, now with a chronic evolution. However, some barriers remain the same, such as the social, mental and physical impact of the diagnosis on the life of the person living with HIV. The objective of the present study was to verify the viral load, CD4+ lymphocyte count, and quality of life of people living with the human immunodeficiency virus. This was a cross-sectional observational research with a sample of 24 individuals of both sexes, with positive serology for HIV, in medical follow-up under antiretroviral treatment. A specific instrument was used to collect sociodemographic information. CD4+ count and HIV viral load results were collected from patients' medical records. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed using the WHOQOL-HIV-BREF. Descriptive analysis was used to characterise the sample profile. Participants (46.8 ± 9.2 years) have completed high school (41.8%), with an income of one to three minimum wages (37.5%). They present a three-year diagnosis and CD4 lymphocyte count above 500 mm3 of blood (75%). Regarding QoL, the participants had a higher average for the physical domain (26.7±5.3) and lower averages for the environment domains (10.9 ± 2.7) and social relationships (12.2± 2.8). The study concludes that the people living with HIV who participated in the study are young adults, with low income and level of education, with a low quality of life in relation to the environment and social relations domains.