Validation of a Chinese version of the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV) among Chinese people living with HIV/AIDS in Hong Kong

Objectives: To evaluate the Chinese version of the 35-item Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV) in Chinese people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 242 ethnic Chinese PLWHA in Hong Kong was conducted. Results: Cronbach's αs of the eight multi-item scales of the MOS-HIV ranged from 0.78 to 0.90. Item-total and inter-scale correlation coefficients were acceptable. Factor analysis of the MOS-HIV identified two factors (Mental Health Summary scores and Physical Health Summary scores, or MHS and PHS), accounting for 63% total variance. The PHS and MHS correlated significantly with the WHOQOL-BREF(HK) and the three sub-scales of Profile of Mood States used in this study. Both PHS and MHS were significantly associated with self-perceived change in health status. PHS but not MHS was associated with Karnofsky Performance Status scores. PHS was also associated with disease stage. The MOS-HIV however, did not distinguish between groups of different CD4 cell counts. It is likely that the quality of life of these PLWHA of different disease stages was good in general. Conclusions: There is a large demand for evaluating treatments and services programs offered to PLWHA in China. The validated Chinese MOS-HIV would facilitate such research activities.