HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY-OF-LIFE OF HIV-INFECTED WOMEN - EVIDENCE FOR THE RELIABILITY, VALIDITY AND RESPONSIVENESS OF THE MEDICAL OUTCOMES STUDY SHORT-FORM 20

The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability, validity and responsiveness of a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instrument, the Medical Outcomes Short-Form 20-Item General Health Survey (MOS SF -20), in a sample of women with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) . Longitudinal data were collected on 202 HIV-infected women without A IDS who were receiving care at Kings County Hospital or SUNY Health Sc iences Center, Brooklyn, New York. Internal consistency results showed acceptable reliability for the four multi-item MOS scales (role funct ion, physical function, general health perceptions and mental health). Symptomatic patients and patients with lower Karnofsky Performance St atus (KPS) ratings reported lower HRQOL than those who were asymptomat ic or who had higher KPS scores. Patients who were older, unemployed o r who had a history of injection drug use (IDU) also reported lower HR QOL than those who were younger, employed or who had no drug use histo ry. Adjusted mean scores on the MOS role and physical functioning scal es proved sensitive to differences in clinical status over time. The M OS SF-20 is a reliable and valid instrument of HRQOL for women with HI V infection. Its sensitivity to differences in clinical status over ti me suggest that it may be useful as an HRQOL indicator for HIV/AIDS cl inical trials.