Does Quality of Life and Sexual Quality of Life in HIV Patients Differ Between Non-treated HIV Controllers and Treated Patients in the French ANRS VESPA 2 National Survey?

• DOI: 10.1007/s10461-018-2237-8
• Publication Date: 2018-08-02T00:42:04Z
• Authors: Marie Préau; Marion Mora; Costanza Puppo; Vanessa Laguette; Luis Sagaon-Teyssier; Faroudy Boufassa; Laurence Meyer; Olivier Lambotte; Bruno Spire
• Keywords: Quality of life; Adult; Male; [SDV.IMM] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Immunology; Sexual Behavior; Social Stigma; HIV Infections; [SHS]Humanities and Social Sciences; Cohort Studies; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Surveys and Questionnaires; 616; Humans; HIV controllers; Middle Aged; Sexual quality of life; 3. Good health; Anti-Retroviral Agents; [SDV.SPEE] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Santé publique et épidémiologie; Quality of Life; [SDV.IMM]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Immunology; [SDV.SPEE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Santé publique et épidémiologie; Female; [SHS] Humanities and Social Sciences; Sexual Health; Psychosocial

People living with HIV who spontaneously control the virus without antiretroviral treatment are called HIV Controllers and their status places them at the limits of bio-clinical normality. The objective of this study was to investigate an unexplored field: HIV Controllers' quality of life (QOL). Using quantitative methods, we compared the QOL of untreated (by definition) HIV Controllers in the ANRS CO18 HIV Controller cohort study, with the QOL of treated patients in the French national survey ANRS VESPA 2. In particular, the physical, social, mental and sexual dimensions of QOL were examined. Results highlight that perceiving oneself to be ill or healthy is linked to stigma and to a lack of self-identification with a social group. Some components of the QOL were significantly impaired in HIV controllers. This study is the first to investigate this field.