Determinant factors of survival time in a cohort study on HIV patient using by time-varying cox model: Fars province, south of Iran

Abstract

<strong>Background and aims:</strong> The pandemic of AIDS is a global emergency and one of the biggest challenges in social and individual life. This study aimed to evaluate the survival time of HIV patients and its effective factors.<br /> <strong>Methods:</strong> This historical cohort study was conducted on the individuals infected with HIV in Fars province, south of Iran, during 2006 to 2013. The study data were obtained from information documented in the patients' records. For statistical analysis, at first, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used as univariate method and then, time varying Cox regression model was applied as multiple analyses.<br /> <strong>Results:</strong> The findings of the present study implied that some variables could play the role of risk factors in HIV patients, and shorten the patients' life span e.g. older age, female gender, unemployment, delay in HIV diagnosis, drug injection, and higher Hemoglobin (HGB) levels.<br /> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Many factors affect HIV patients' survival time. Some of these factors, such as gender and genetic factors, are irreversible. However, some others, including drug injection, are preventable. This implies that in order to slow down the speed of HIV conversion to AIDS and delay the occurrence of death, special attention must be paid to these factors and changing the patients' conditions accordingly.