Quality of life, depression and sexual function in men living with HIV under effective antiretroviral therapy compared with healthy controls.

PURPOSE: Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has improved outcomes in individuals living with HIV. This study investigated quality of life, mental health, and sexual function in virologically suppressed men.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

This case-control study compared quality of life, depression, and sexual function of 39 heterosexual men on cART with viral suppression and 60 healthy male controls. Participants completed the EUROHIS-QOL 8, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX) questionnaires.

RESULTS

HIV group's mean age was 39 years, controls 41.5 years, with similar demographics. Median EUROHIS-QOL8 and BDI scores were similar between groups. While ASEX scores were higher in HIV patients (p = .032), this difference did not result in a higher prevalence of sexual dysfunction based on established ASEX criteria. BDI scores strongly negatively correlated with EUROHIS-QOL8 in the HIV group (r = -.731, p < .001) and moderately in controls (r = -.475, p < .001). Quality of life decreased with depressive symptoms in both groups.

CONCLUSION

Among men with HIV who achieved viral suppression, no significant differences were found versus healthy controls in quality of life, depression, or sexual dysfunction. These findings support individual evaluation rather than HIV status-based assumptions.