Health-related quality of life (QOL) is an important component of the evaluation of patient outcome in HIV infection where disease is progressive and debilitating. This paper compares patient-reported QOL obtained from questionnaires which cover functional ability, social functioning, cognition, mental health, disability days, disease symptoms, and overall health in the previous 3 months. These scales have been validated on HIV populations. We compared changes in health status over 12 months for 669 patients with varying HIV disease severity: 134 asymptomatic, 416 symptomatic (previously termed ARC), and 119 AIDS. Groups were evaluated at baseline for demographic and health status differences (i.e., age, CD4+). Declines in health status and psychosocial status were found over the year for all persons. Individuals with symptomatic disease or AIDS had significant declines of 10–20% (p<0.001) in="" all="" aspects="" of="" role="" functioning="" (social,="" daily="" activities,="" energy,="" and="" global="" health)="" and="" increased="" disease="" symptoms,="" but="" no="" significant="" declines="" in="" cognition="" or="" mental="" health.="" persons="" with="" aids="" had="" greater="" declines="" than="" those="" with="" symptomatic="" disease.="" aids="" and="" symptomatic="" patients="" also="" reported="" significantly="" fewer="" hours="" at="" work="" and="" more="" disability="" days="" than="" asymptomatic="" patients.="" the="" impact="" that="" hiv="" disease="" has="" on="" the="" health="" status="" of="" non-aids="" symptomatic="" patients="" is="" especially="">