Predictors of health-related quality of life among older adults living with HIV in Thailand: results from the baseline and follow-up surveys

Factors associated with internalized HIV-related stigma among people living with HIV in Thailand

Internalized HIV-related stigma (IHS) among people living with HIV (PLHIV) has been documented as one of the factors contributing to the ongoing AIDS epidemic. The purpose of this study, which was conducted from September 2021 to January 2022, was to measure prevalence and identify factors associated with IHS among research participants who were living with HIV recruited from a research clinic in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. Participants were considered to have IHS if they agreed to at least one of the 8 items of the newly developed Thai Internalized HIV-related Stigma Scale (Thai-IHSS). Of the 104 participants, 65.4% were female. The median age was 51.5 years and the duration of known HIV infection was 19.0 years. Fifty-three percent of the participants had IHS as defined by the study. Reduced probability of having IHS was independently associated with certain levels of education (middle or high school education compared with no or primary school) (AOR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.12-0.77) and increased mental health-related quality of life (AOR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.18-0.86). The prevalence of IHS among PLHIV in Chiang Mai was high. These findings highlight the requirement for comprehensive mental health care programs for PLHIV to improve their quality of life.

Characteristics, clinical outcomes, and mortality of older adults living with HIV receiving antiretroviral treatment in the sub-urban and rural areas of northern Thailand

Since the introduction of antiretroviral treatment (ART), people living with HIV worldwide live into older age. This observational study described the characteristics, clinical outcomes, and mortality of older adults living with HIV (OALHIV) receiving ART from the National AIDS program in northern Thailand. Participants aged ≥ 50 years were recruited from the HIV clinics in 12 community hospitals. Data were obtained from medical records and face-to-face interviews. In 2015, 362 OALHIV were enrolled; their median (interquartile range) age and ART duration were 57 years (54-61), and 8.8 years (6.4-11.2), respectively. At study entry, 174 (48.1%) had CD4 counts ≥ 500 cells/mm3; 357 of 358 (99.6%) with available HIV RNA results were virologic-suppressed. At the year 5 follow-up, 39 died, 11 were transferred to other hospitals, 3 were lost to follow-up, and 40 did not contribute data for this analysis, but remained in care. Among the 269 who appeared, 149 (55%) had CD4 counts ≥ 500 cells/mm3, and 227/229 tested (99%) were virologic-suppressed. The probability of 5-year overall survival was 89.2% (95% confidence interval, CI 85.4-92.1%). A significantly low 5-year overall survival (66%) was observed in OALHIV with CD4 counts < 200 cells/mm3 at study entry. The most common cause of death was organ failure in 11 (28%), followed by malignancies in 8 (21%), infections in 5 (13%), mental health-related conditions in 2 (5%), and unknown in 13 (33%). In OALHIV with stable HIV treatment outcomes, mortality from non-infectious causes was observed. Monitoring of organ function, cancer surveillance, and mental health screening are warranted.

Neurocognitive performance and quality of life of older adults with HIV on antiretroviral treatment in Northern Thailand

Introduction

With virologic suppression and longer life expectancy, older adults with HIV (OAHIV) are at risk for neurocognitive impairment (NCI). This study investigated neurocognitive performance, quality of life (QOL) and the association between OAHIV determinants.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was conducted in OAHIV aged ≥ 50 years on antiretroviral treatment at community hospitals in Northern Thailand between September and November 2020. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment Thai Version (MoCA‐T) and the Thai‐validated Medical Outcomes Study HIV (MOS‐HIV) were used. NCI was defined as MoCA‐T scores <25: 16–24 for amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and <16 for dementia. For QOL, higher scores meant better QOL; a physical health summary T‐score ≥50 was defined as good QOL.

Results

Overall, 269 OAHIV were enrolled; 59% were female and 99% had virologic suppression. The current median age was 61.8 years (interquartile range [IQR] 58.9–65.7). The median duration of antiretroviral treatment was 10.5 years (IQR 8.5–13.5). The current median CD4 count (234 tested) was 484 cells/mm³ (IQR 339–634), and 99% had plasma HIV RNA <40 copies/ml (229 tested). The median MoCA‐T score was 20.0 (IQR 16.3–23.0). There were 234 OAHIV (87.3%) with NCI: 182 (67.9%) with aMCI and 52 (19.4%) with dementia. A hundred and ninety (70.6%) had good QOL. Bivariate analysis revealed no correlation between MoCA‐T scores and QOL. Multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that MoCA‐T score was associated with older age (r = –0.144, p = 0.002), lower education (r = 0.629, p < 0.001), lower income (r = 0.797, p = 0.040) and shorter treatment duration (r = 0.189, p = 0.006).

Conclusions

The vast majority of OAHIV with virologic suppression had NCI. Approximately two‐thirds had a mild impairment and one‐fifth had dementia. Neurocognitive performance and QOL were not correlated. Addressing mild NCI would enable more targeted monitoring. Early intervention and support could minimize functional impairment with increased age.

Predictors of Stigma and Health-Related Quality of Life Among People Living with HIV in Northern Thailand

HIV-related stigma and discrimination have been a significant barrier to accessing health care, hence contributing to poor health outcomes. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with HIV-related stigma and discrimination and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among people living with HIV in rural Thailand setting. A cross-sectional convenience sample of 161 HIV-positive Thai patients was recruited from a single rural district hospital using a self-administered questionnaire entailing sociodemographic information, the 12-item stigma scale, the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV), and the EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L). Linear regression and the multi-variable analyses were used to investigate factors associated with stigma and HRQoL, whereas the correlations between stigma and quality of life variables were tested by Pearson correlations. Being married and duration of antiretroviral therapy were negatively correlated with HIV stigma, while increased age was inversely associated with HRQoL. Being employed and having sufficient money for living contributed positively to predict HRQoL. HIV stigma was negatively associated with mental health summary (MHS) and visual analog scale (VAS) score, whereas duration diagnosed with HIV and the use of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in combination with protease inhibitor regimen were negative factors associated with VAS and health utility, respectively. The findings confirm complex and inseparable associations of factors relating to HIV-related stigma and HRQoL. The development of effective interventions tailored at individual level is warranted to address this gap.

Prevalence of High Risk HPV in HIV-Infected Women From Belém, Pará, Amazon Region of Brazil: A Cross-Sectional Study

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Several studies have shown a higher prevalence of HPV infection in HIV-infected women. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and the genotype diversity of HPV infection in HIV-infected women. From April 2010 to December 2012 cervical specimens were collected from 169 HIV-infected women who screening for cervical cancer at Reference Unit in Belém. The detection of HPV infection was performed by nested PCR and HPV type was performed using a commercial system. The prevalence of HPV infection was 63.3%. Of the 47 genotyped samples, 40.4% was found positive for high risk-HPV 16 and 12.8% for high risk-HPV 52. HPV infection was predominant in the group of women with no incidence of cytological abnormalities and more prevalent in women of reproductive age, unmarried, low education level, and who reported use condoms during sexual intercourse. It was observed an association between HPV infection and independent variables, such as condom use, multiple sexual partners, and history of sexually transmitted diseases. High-risk types of HPV infection were prevalent in our study. Infection with multiple high-risk HPV genotypes may potentiate the development of cervical cancer in HIV-infected women.