Measurement of quality of life in HIV disease.

Quality of life is an existential concept with multiple definitions. Clinicians and researchers are concerned with the more specific concept of health-related quality of life (HRQL), which considers the impact of impairments, functional states, perceptions, and social opportunities on overall quality of life. The unique nature of the issues related to living with HIV requires that the HRQL instruments used to evaluate HIV-infected patients include dimensions such as sexual function, stigma, and body image. HIV-specific instruments with established validity and reliability that have provided useful information in clinical trials include the Medical Outcomes Study-HIV Health Survey, HIV/AIDS--Targeted Quality of Life instrument, Functional Assessment of HIV Infection, AIDS Health Assessment Questionnaire, HIV Overview of Problems--Evaluation Systems, and Multidimensional Quality of Life Questionnaire for HIV/AIDS. As treatment advances, maximizing HRQL will become an increasingly important goal for clinicians involved in the care of HIV-infected individuals.