OBJECTIVE: to analyze the quality of life (QoL) of men with AIDS from the perspective of the
model of social determinants of health (MSDH). METHOD: cross-sectional study conducted in an outpatient infectious diseases clinic from
a Brazilian university hospital over the course of one year with a sample of 138
patients. A form based on the MSDH was used to collect sociodemographic data
addressing individual, proximal, intermediate determinants and the influence of
social networks together with an instrument used to assess the QoL of people with
HIV/AIDS. The project was approved by the Institutional Review Board (Protocol No.
040.06.12). RESULTS: according to MSDH, most men with AIDS were between 30 and 49 years old (68.1%),
mixed race (59.4%), heterosexual (46.4%), single (64.5%), Catholic (68.8%), had a
bachelor's degree (39.2%), had no children (61.6%), and had a formal job (71.0%).
The perception of QoL in the physical, level of independence, environment, and
spirituality domains was intermediate, while QoL was perceived to be superior in
the domains of psychological and social relationship. A perception of lower QoL
was presented by homosexual (p=0.037) and married men (p=0.077), and those with
income below one times the minimum wage (p=0.042). A perception of greater QoL was
presented by those without a religion (p=0.005), living with a partner (p=0.049),
and those who had a formal job (p=0.045). CONCLUSION: social determinants influence the QoL of men with AIDS.