The relationship between acceptance of illness and quality of life among men who have sex with men living with human immunodeficiency virus: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: To explore the relationship between acceptance of illness and quality of life (QOL), and factors associated with acceptance of illness among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Methods: Three hundred and one MSM were recruited from an HIV clinic between August and December 2018. The battery of measurements consisted of the Acceptance of Illness Scale, World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire for HIV brief version, HIV Cognitive Appraisal Scale and a self-designed questionnaire used to collect general information. Pearson correlation test was used to examine the relationship between acceptance of illness and QOL. Univariate and multivariate ordinal logistic regression analyses were used to examine whether the general data (demographic and HIV-related clinical data) and HIV cognitive appraisal were associated with acceptance of illness levels. Results: Descriptive analysis showed the acceptance level among MSM living with HIV was moderate (Mean = 26.29, SD = 5.28). Those with a better acceptance of illness had a better QOL (r = 0.69, P