Factors that affect the Quality of Life of prison inmates on antiretroviral treatment

Quality of life (QoL) is one of the most commonly used self-assessment outcome measures in chronic disease. The prison environment has specific characteristics that may affect antiretroviral treatment and adherence in HIV-positive patients. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to analyse the association between several factors and QoL in inmates on antiretroviral treatment in three Andalusian prisons. A total of 160 patients on antiretroviral treatment was enrolled. QoL was measured by means of the MOS-HIV. Of the sample, 88% were men and, of these, 53.8% were considered adherent to treatment. In the multivariate analysis, inmates who were considered adherent, who had a higher educational level, who did not receive food supplements and who were prescribed a greater number of pills were found to have a better physical and mental QoL. Likewise, those who felt unable or scarcely able to continue the treatment and who had been drug abusers for a longer time presented a lower physical QoL. Regarding mental QoL, those without a fixed abode, with difficulties in treatment or chronic disease had lower scores.