Bermudez Tamayo, ClaraMartínez Tapias, José JRuíz Pérez, IsabelOlry-de-Labry-Lima, Antonio2012-02-012012-02-012008-10-21Bermudez-Tamayo C, Martínez Tapias JJ, Ruiz-Pérez I, Olry de Labry Lima A. Factors associated with improvement in disability-adjusted life years in patients with HIV/AIDS. BMC Public Health. 2008 Oct 21; 8:362http://hdl.handle.net/10668/295Background The epidemic of HIV/AIDS and treatments that have emerged to alleviate, have brought about a shift in the burden of disease from death to quality of life/disability. The aim was to determine which factors are associated with improvements in the level of health of male and female patients with HIV/AIDS in Andalusia, in terms of disability-adjusted life years. Methods Descriptive study based on a sample group of 8800 people on the Andalusian AIDS register between 1983 and 2004. Dependent variables: Life lost due to premature mortality (YLL), years lost due to disability (YLD) and disability-adjusted life years (DALY). Independent variables: vital state, sex, age at the time of diagnosis, age at the time of death, transmission category, province of residence, AIDS-indicator disease and the period of diagnosis. A bivariate analysis was carried out to find out if the health level variables changed in accordance with the independent variables. Using the independent variables which had a statistically significant link with the level of health variables, a multivariate linear regression model, disaggregated by gender, was constructed. Results Amongst the women, we found a model which explained the level of health of 64.9%: a link was found between a higher level of health (lower DALYs) and not intravenous drug use, the province of residence, being diagnosed during the HAART era and older age at the time of diagnosis. Amongst the men, we found a model which explained the level of health of 64.4%: a link was found between a higher level of health (lower DALYs) and intravenous drug use, the province of residence, being diagnosed during the HAART era and older age at the time of diagnosis. Conclusion A higher level of health (lower DALY) amongst both men and women was found to be linked to not be intravenous drug user, the province of residence, being diagnosed during the HAART era and older age at the time of diagnosis.enSíndrome de inmunodeficiencia adquiridaAños de vida ajustados por calidad de vidaSobrevivientes de VIH a largo plazoMedical Subject Headings::Diseases::Virus Diseases::Sexually Transmitted Diseases::Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral::HIV Infections::Acquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeMedical Subject Headings::Health Care::Population Characteristics::Demography::Vital Statistics::Life Tables::Quality-Adjusted Life YearsMedical Subject Headings::Named Groups::Persons::Patients::Survivors::HIV Long-Term Survivorsresearch article18939970open access10.1186/1471-2458-8-362