Date of Award

2003

Publication Type

Doctoral Thesis

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Psychology

Keywords

Psychology, Clinical.

Supervisor

Rourke, Byron P.,

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

With the improvements in morbidity and mortality as a result of new antiretroviral treatments, the examination of health related quality of life (HRQOL) has become an important consideration of client care. This study was a 15-month prospective examination of the underlying factor structure, test-retest reliability, and clinical utility of the widely used Medical Outcomes Study-HIV HRQOL instrument (MOS-HIV). Factor analysis of the MOS-HIV Physical Function, Role Function, Pain, Social Function, Overall Health, Fatigue, Cognitive Function, Health Distress, Quality of Life, and Mental Health dimensions resulted in mental health (MHS) and physical health (PHS) summary factors. Analysis of the individual MOS-HIV items generally revealed Physical Function, Overall Health, Cognitive Function, Health Distress, Mental Health, and Functional Status factors. MOS-HIV dimensions and factors typically had moderate to good test-retest reliability. Poor reliability coefficients generally occurred for dimensions that were only composed of 1 or 2 items. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine the impact of demographic, medical, depression, and neuropsychological variables on various HRQOL domains. Depression and medical symptom scores were the strongest predictors of HRQOL, with depression more highly related to mental health domains and medical symptoms more highly related to physical health domains. Neuropsychological variables, specifically psychomotor efficiency, were more likely to be related to physical function. Demographic and HIV status variables had less of an impact on HRQOL than depression and medical symptoms. The results of this analysis support the use of MHS and PHS scores and MOS-HIV item factors to convey HRQOL information. In addition, the results indicate that treatment of depressive and medical symptoms could result in a significant improvement in HRQOL.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2003 .Y36. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 64-08, Section: B, page: 4071. Adviser: Byron P. Rourke. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2003.

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