Sexual satisfaction and quality of life: a cross-sectional study of women living with HIV in an outpatient clinic in Southern Brazil.

Abstract

Despite the feminization of the HIV epidemic, sexual satisfaction and quality of life (QoL) among women living with HIV and AIDS (WLHA) remain underexplored, yet they are critically important for comprehensive care. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate QoL and sexual satisfaction in WLHA followed at an outpatient clinic of a universitary hospital in Southern Brazil. The Sexual Satisfaction Scale for Women (SSS-W) was used to quantify sexual satisfaction, and the WHOQOL-HIV BREF assessed QoL. The study included 77 women with a mean age of 49 years (M = 48.92, SD = 11.92). Results indicated that women in stable relationships tended to report higher sexual satisfaction scores (M = 110.92) compared to those in unstable relationships or not in a relationship (M = 102.43). A moderate, statistically significant correlation between QoL and sexual satisfaction was observed (R = 0.33, p = 0.0030). The findings suggest that a stable relationship enhances perspectives on sexual satisfaction and that promoting QoL positively impacts sexual satisfaction among WLHA, with a reciprocal effect. This study highlights neglected yet critical aspects of WLHA's lives, advocating for open discussions on their sexual and reproductive rights and other dimensions pertinent to improving QoL and sexual satisfaction.