Mastery and coping moderate the negative effect of acute and chronic stressors on mental health-related quality of life in HIV

Health-Related Quality of Life in People with Advanced HIV Disease, from 1996 to 2021: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of advanced HIV disease (AHD) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in PLHIV, the changes in HRQoL outcomes over the last 25 years, and the differences between countries according to level of economic development. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. The search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science using the terms: "health-related quality of life", "HQRoL", "HIV", "AIDS", "advanced HIV disease" and "low CD4 cells". Studies inclusion criteria were: adult population; initiated after 1996 and published before July 2021; clinical trials, cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies; studies analyzing the relationship between AHD and HRQoL; English or Spanish language. Standardized mean differences (d+) were calculated to estimate the effect size for the meta-analyses. Summary statistics were calculated using a random-effects model, and analyses of effect moderators, using mixed-effects models. The meta-analysis included 38 studies. The results indicated that HRQoL is worse in patients with AHD compared to those without. The main HRQoL domains affected were overall health perception and concern and physical and functional health and symptoms. We found a moderate impact for age and gender on some HRQoL domains. There were no differences in relation to socioeconomic inequities, country of residence, or time period analyzed. In conclusion, advanced HIV disease has a negative impact on health and well-being in PLHIV. Our results show that despite all the advances in antiretroviral treatments over the last 25 years, AHD persists as a source of extreme vulnerability, regardless of where PLHIV live.

Reactivity of Health-Related Quality of Life to Perceived Stress: The Buffering Role of Psychosocial Resources in a Longitudinal Study of Adults with and Without HIV

People with HIV now have increased longevity; however, their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) still lags significantly compared to people without HIV. Perceived stress negatively impacts HRQoL, whereas psychosocial resources are linked to better HRQoL. This longitudinal analysis aims to explore the buffering role of psychosocial resources on the relationship between HRQoL and perceived stress. Participants (N = 240) included 142 persons with HIV (PwH) and 98 without HIV, M(SD) = 50.9(8.1) years. Multilevel models over four study years examined longitudinal relationships between HRQoL (outcome) and perceived stress (predictor) and potential moderation by psychosocial resources (personal mastery, social support, and resilience) by HIV serostatus. Among PwH only, personal mastery (p = 0.001), social support (p = 0.015), and resilience (p = 0.029) were associated with an attenuated effect of perceived stress (less negative slopes) for physical HRQoL over time. Bolstering personal mastery, social support, and resilience may have relevance for improving physical well-being among PwH.

Trajectories of HIV management among virally suppressed and unsuppressed female sex workers in the Dominican Republic: A comparative qualitative analysis

PURPOSE

Despite suboptimal HIV outcomes among female sex workers (FSW), limited research has been conducted on factors that impact viral suppression among this population. Examining narratives of HIV management, we examined how experiences of diagnosis, treatment initiation, and ongoing care behaviours shaped viral suppression outcomes over time.

METHODS

We conducted 20 in-depth interviews with FSW in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Using narrative and thematic qualitative approaches, we developed analytic summaries and matrices to compare trajectories of managing HIV between suppressed and unsuppressed participants.

RESULTS

Regardless of suppression status, participants described similar narratives of overcoming initial challenges to HIV management through personal resilience and social support. Unsuppressed participants identified more delays in initiating antiretroviral therapy and more lapses in adherence due to less active acceptance of their HIV status and more persistent experiences of economic hardship and HIV stigma.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that individual, interpersonal and structural factors, including stigma and economic precarity, differentiated trajectories towards viral suppression among FSW indicating the importance of multilevel interventions. Improved access to mental health services and social support could promote greater early acceptance of HIV status and progress towards viral suppression among FSW.

Understanding the quality of life of people living with HIV in rural and urban areas in Indonesia

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a major global public health issue that affects the quality of life (QoL) of people living with HIV (PLHIV) globally and in Indonesia. As a part of a large-scale qualitative study investigating HIV risk factors and impacts on PLHIV and facilitators of and barriers to their access to HIV care services in Yogyakarta and Belu, Indonesia, this paper describes their in-depth views and experiences of the influence of HIV on their QoL. Ninety-two participants were recruited using the snowball sampling technique. Data were collected using in-depth interviews. In addition, the World Health Organisation Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-HIV BREF) was also distributed to each of them to fill out prior to the interviews. Chi-Square analysis was used to analyse data from the survey and a framework analysis was applied to guide qualitative data analysis. The findings reported several factors affecting the QoL of the participants. These included (i) environmental factors, such as living in rural areas, the unavailability of HIV care services and public transport, and long-distance travel to healthcare facilities; (ii) personal beliefs associated with HIV; (iii) sexual and social relationships and their influence of the QoL of participants; and (iv) level of independence and physical health condition following HIV diagnosis. The findings indicate the need for intervention programs that address the availability and accessibility of HIV care services to PLHIV within rural communities and support various physical, psychological, and financial needs of PLHIV. These can be implemented by providing supplements and nutritious food, HIV counselling and door-to-door/community-based ART service delivery to PLHIV, which may increase their engagement in and adherence to the treatment and improve their physical and psychological condition and QoL.

Strategies for improving mental health and wellbeing used by adults ageing with HIV from the Kenyan coast: a qualitative exploration

Background: Physical and mental health problems are common among older adults living with HIV (OALWH). Adaptive coping strategies play a vital role in improving these adults' mental health and well-being despite the deleterious effects of HIV and ageing. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, limited evidence exists on the commonly utilized coping strategies in this population. We explore the coping strategies used by Kenyan OALWH to improve their mental health and wellbeing. Methods: Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted between October and December 2019 with 56 participants: 34 OALWH (53% female), 11 healthcare providers (63% female) and 11 primary caregivers (73% female) in Kilifi County. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used the framework approach to synthesize the qualitative data.    Results: Five major themes emerged from the analysis of participants' narratives, including self-care practices, religion and spirituality, relational living (social connectedness), generativity, identity, and mastery. Our study further revealed maladaptive coping strategies, including reliance on over-the-counter medications, self-isolation, waiting to see if symptoms would subside despite doing nothing, and HIV treatment interruptions during prolonged periods of prayer and fasting. Conclusions: Our findings provide an initial understanding of the coping strategies used by OALWH to confront HIV and ageing challenges in a low-literacy, low socio-economic Kenyan setting. Our results suggest that interventions designed to enhance personal capacity, social support, positive religiosity and spirituality, and intergenerational connections may be beneficial in improving the mental health and well-being of OALWH.

Suicidal ideation of people living with HIV and its relations to depression, anxiety and social support

BACKGROUND

The HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome) remains a global threat to health. Suicidal ideation has been a serious public health problem among people living with HIV (PLWH). However, the suicide prevention mechanism among PLWH still unclear. This study aims to analyze the suicidal ideation and its related factors in PLWH, and further explore the relationships between suicidal ideation and depression, anxiety and perceived social support.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study. A total of 1146 PLWH were investigated by the general information questionnaire, the perceived social support scale (PSSS), the Beck scale for suicide ideation of Chinese version (BSI-CV), the generalized anxiety disorder scale-2 (GAD-2) and the patient health questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) though the WeChat in China in 2018. By using statistical description and the binary unconditional logistic regression, we assessed the incidence of suicidal ideation and its related factors in PLWH. Besides, the intermediary effect of social support between anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation were explored by the stepwise test and Bootstrap method.

RESULTS

The incidence of suicide ideation was 54.0% (619/1146) among the PLWH in the last week or during the most serious depression. Binary logistic regression analysis results showed that the PLWH who with short time for HIV positive diagnosis (aOR (adjusted odd ratio) = 1.754, 95% CI (confidence interval):1.338-2.299), low monthly income (aOR = 1.515, 95%CI:1.098-2.092), other chronic diseases except HIV (aOR = 1.555, 95%CI:1.134-2.132), irregular lovers (aOR = 1.369, 95%CI:1.021-1.837), anxiety (aOR = 2.711, 95%CI:1.767-4.161), depression (aOR = 1.614, 95%CI:1.078-2.417), low PSSS (aOR = 2.139, 95%CI:1.345-3.399) had high risk of suicide ideation.The social support played a mediating role between the anxiety (the mediating effect accounted for 30.43% of the total effect), depression (the mediating effect accounted for 23.76% of the total effect) and the suicide ideation among PLWH.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of suicide ideation of PLWH was high. Anxiety, depression, and social support are the key factors of suicide ideation of PLWH. Social support plays a partial mediating role between anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, which provides a new approach for prevention of suicidal ideation in PLWH and should be known widely for people to prevent suicide.

Factors associated with health-related quality of life in people living with HIV in Norway

BACKGROUND

Despite the advances in the treatment of HIV, people living with HIV (PLHIV) still experience impairment of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The aim of the study was to explore factors associated with HRQOL in a well-treated Norwegian HIV population.

METHODS

Two hundred and forty-five patients were recruited from two outpatient clinics to participate in this cross-sectional study of addiction, mental distress, post-traumatic stress disorder, fatigue, somatic health, and HRQOL. The latter was measured using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the adjusted associations between demographic and disease-related variables and HRQOL.

RESULTS

The study population was virologically and immunologically stable. Their mean age was 43.8 (SD = 11.7) years, 131 (54%) were men, and 33% were native Norwegians. Compared with the general population (published in previous studies), patients reported worse SF-36 scores for five of eight domains: mental health, general health, social function, physical role limitation, and emotional role limitation (all p < 0.001). Compared with men, women reported better SF-36 scores within the domains vitality (63.1 (23.6) vs. 55.9 (26.7), p = 0.026) and general health (73.4 (23.2) vs. 64.4 (30.1), p = 0.009). In the multivariate analyses, higher SF-36- physical component score values were independently associated with young age (p = 0.020), being employed, student, or pensioner (p = 0.009), low comorbidity score (p = 0.015), low anxiety and depression score (p = 0.015), being at risk of drug abuse (p = 0.037), and not being fatigued (p < 0.001). Higher SF-36-mental component score values were independently associated with older age (p = 0.018), being from a country outside Europe or from Norway (p = 0.029), shorter time since diagnosis, low anxiety and depression score (p < 0.001), answering 'no' regarding alcohol abuse (p = 0.013), and not being fatigued (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

HRQOL was poorer in PLHIV than in the general population in Norway. It is important to focus on somatic and mental comorbidities when delivering health-care services in the ageing population of PLHIV to improve HRQOL even among a well-treated group of PLHIV as found in Norway.

Canonical correlation analysis on the association between HIV-related stress and health-related quality of life among newly diagnosed people living with HIV

The overall negative correlation between HIV-related stress and health related quality of life (HRQoL) among people living with HIV (PLWH) has been established, but less is known about the associations between them from various dimensions. We aimed to give a deep understanding of the relationship between these two multidimensional variables. A cross-sectional study of 557 PLWH with diagnosis less than 1 month was conducted. The HIV/AIDS Stress Scale (SS-HIV) and the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Survey (MOS-HIV) were used to assess the HIV-related stress and HRQoL, respectively. Canonical correlation analysis was performed to analyze their correlation. The association between HIV-related stress and HRQoL among PLWH was mainly determined by the emotional stress and four HRQoL dimensions including health transition, heath stress, mental health function and the attitude towards general quality of life, which should be taken as important considerations in the management of HIV.

Assessing the Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the HIV-Related Resilience Screener: The GOLD Studies

People who are 50 and older constitute the majority of those living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the US. Aging PLWHA face myriad biopsychosocial health challenges related to HIV/AIDS and the aging process. Resilience may act as a buffer to the negative impact of these challenges however measuring it among PLWHA has been inconsistent, so the HIV-Related Resilience Screener (HIV-RRS) was developed. Data for the present study are drawn from 250 sociodemographically diverse HIV-positive gay men ages 50-69 in NYC. Tests of reliability and validity were conducted, and an Exploratory Factor Analysis indicated a three-factor model was the most parsimonious solution. Items were examined for their underlying relationships and labeled: adaptive coping, optimism, and effective coping. The total HIV-RRS yielded a Cronbach's α of 0.84. Convergent and face validity were established using psychosocial and physical outcomes. The HIV-RRS is a psychometrically sound instrument to assess resilience among older HIV-positive gay men.

Strategies for improving mental health and wellbeing used by adults ageing with HIV: a qualitative exploration

Background: Physical and mental health problems are common among older adults living with HIV (OALWH). Adaptive coping strategies play a vital role in improving these adults' mental health and well-being despite the deleterious effects of HIV and ageing. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, limited evidence exists on the commonly utilized coping strategies in this population. We explore the coping strategies used by Kenyan OALWH to improve their mental health and wellbeing. Methods: Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted between October and December 2019 with 56 participants: 34 OALWH (53% female), 11 healthcare providers (63% female) and 11 primary caregivers (73% female) in Kilifi County. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used the framework approach to synthesize the qualitative data.    Results: Five major themes emerged from the analysis of participants’ narratives, including self-care practices, religion and spirituality, relational living (social connectedness), generativity, identity, and mastery. Our study further revealed maladaptive coping strategies, including reliance on over-the-counter medications, self-isolation, waiting to see if symptoms would subside despite doing nothing, and HIV treatment interruptions during prolonged periods of prayer and fasting. Conclusions: Our findings provide an initial understanding of the coping strategies used by OALWH to confront HIV and ageing challenges in a low-literacy, low socio-economic Kenyan setting. Our results suggest that interventions designed to enhance personal capacity, social support, positive religiosity and spirituality, and intergenerational connections may be beneficial in improving the mental health and well-being of OALWH.

Adapting, testing, and refining a resilience intervention for older women with HIV: An open pilot study

Half of persons with HIV in the United States (US), many of whom are women, are over age 50. Aging women with HIV (WWH) face unique biopsychosocial challenges, including stigma, the physiological effects of aging, and illness-associated stressors. Resilience interventions can build awareness of such stressors and aid in facilitating the relaxation response; however, no existing interventions specifically cater to the needs of older WWH. The content of the Relaxation Response Resiliency Program, which teaches positive psychology strategies, relaxation techniques, and cognitive behavioral skills, was adapted for older WWH. Thirteen WWH over 50 participated in an open pilot of the adapted intervention to iteratively refine the program and its procedures. Participants attended either 8 or 10 weekly group sessions; three groups were conducted in total. Pre- and post-intervention assessments and qualitative exit interviews were conducted. Among completers, an increase in resilience was observed. Though significance testing was not conducted, social support also increased, and depression, anxiety, and HIV stigma decreased from pre- to post-intervention. Over half of eligible women enrolled; completers reported high satisfaction with the program. However, retention was difficult; six participants withdrew or were lost to follow-up. Mean number of sessions attended was 3.5 in the 8-session group and 5 in the 10-session groups. In this small sample, the adapted intervention led to a clinically meaningful increase in resilience, though recruitment and retention were challenging. Further refinements to the intervention are needed to minimize attrition and increase acceptability before additional testing is initiated.

Co-occurring Threats to Agency Among Female Sex Workers in Baltimore, Maryland

Driven largely by the unequal distribution of power, female sex workers (FSW) globally bear a disproportionately high burden of HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and interpersonal violence. Prior literature has identified a number of multi-level factors that may serve to constrain FSWs' agency, or their ability to define and take action to realize goals. Among these are work-based violence and substance use, which are potentiated by the criminalization of sex work and structural vulnerability. Quantitative research related to U.S.-based FSWs' own sense of agency, as well as the barriers that may impede it, is sparse. We sought to identify patterns of various threats to agency and explore to what extent they were associated with perceived agency among a cohort of 381 FSW in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, using latent class analysis. Latent class indictors were past-six-month experience of client-perpetrated sexual violence, client-perpetrated physical violence, homelessness, food insecurity, arrest, daily crack-cocaine use, and daily heroin use. Perceived agency was measured using the short form of the Pearlin Mastery Scale. We identified three typologies of threatened agency among women in our sample: a "threatened by structural factors, drug use, and violence" class, a "threatened by structural factors and drug use" class, and a "less threatened" class. Mean perceived agency score was significantly lower for the class characterized by client-perpetrated violence than for either of the other classes. This suggests violence, in the context of deeper, structural power imbalances embedded in hunger, homelessness, and drug use, may dramatically reduce one's sense of agency and operate as a critical barrier to empowerment. Our study adds important insights to the broader FSW community empowerment literature and supports the need for interventions to bolster both individual and collective agency among U.S.-based FSW, including interventions to prevent sex work-related violence.

The moderating role of resilience resources in the association between stressful life events and symptoms of postpartum depression

BACKGROUND

One in seven women experience postpartum depression, posing a serious public health concern. One of the most robust predictors of elevated postpartum depressive symptoms is major stressful life events that occur during pregnancy. Having greater resilience resources that promote successful adaptation to stressful demands may be protective in the face of stress during pregnancy. The current study tested whether three resilience resources- mastery, dispositional optimism, and spirituality- each predicted early symptoms of postpartum depression and moderated the hypothesized association between experiencing stressful life events during pregnancy and symptoms of postpartum depression.

METHODS

The sample included 233 women who participated in a prospective longitudinal study from pregnancy through postpartum. Depressive symptoms were assessed at approximately 4 to 8 weeks after birth, whereas resilience resources and stressful life events were measured in pregnancy. Multiple linear regressions were used to test hypotheses.

RESULTS

Stressful life events predicted greater symptoms of depression postpartum. Mastery and optimism predicted fewer symptoms of depression postpartum. Mastery moderated the association between stressful life events and symptoms of depression when controlling for previous psychiatric history, t(231) = -1.97, p=.0497.

LIMITATIONS

There was some attrition among study participants across timepoints, which was accounted for in analyses with multiple imputation.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings point to the protective nature of a mother's sense of mastery in the face of major life stressors during pregnancy and suggest this is an important construct to target in interventions addressing postpartum depression.

Determinants of the quality of life amongst HIV clinic attendees in Malang, Indonesia

BACKGROUND

As the number of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; PLHIV) in Indonesia has increased in recent years, more efforts have been expended to improve their health status. However, in a country where PLHIV are very much stigmatized, there has been little research concerning their quality of life (QoL). Hence, this study aimed to assess the QoL among PLHIV and its associated factors. Findings of this research can contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of PLHIV in Indonesia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey with convenience sampling was conducted from June to September 2018, at four healthcare centers in Malang, Indonesia. PLHIV, aged 18 years or over, were asked if they would like to participate in this study when they came to a health center to receive services. To protect confidentiality, the healthcare staff at the clinics assisted with recruitment and face-to-face interviews with structured questionnaires. Measurements included sociodemographic, medication-related, social support, HIV-stigma, and QoL variables.

RESULTS

In total, 634 PLHIV agreed to participate in this study. A multivariate linear regression analysis showed that being older, having a job, living in an urban area, having better access to healthcare services, adhering to medication, being in an antiretroviral therapy (ART) program for more than 1 year, experiencing a lower level of stigma, and receiving more social support were associated with a better QoL. The regression model had an adjusted R2 of 0.21.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this research have significant policy implications. Policies focused on reducing social stigma and promoting medication adherence will likely have a positive impact on the QoL of PLHIV. Increasing public awareness and acceptance of PLHIV in Indonesia remains challenging, but would likely have significant impacts. Furthermore, interventions should also focus on reducing disparities in QoL between PLHIV living in rural areas and those in urban areas.

Health-related quality of life and its predictors among adults living with HIV/AIDS and receiving antiretroviral therapy in Pakistan

BACKGROUND

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is considered to be the fourth 90 of UNAIDS 90-90-90 target to monitor the effects of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART has significantly increased the life expectancy of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). However, the impact of chronic infection on HRQoL remains unclear, while factors influencing the HRQoL may vary from one country to another. The current study aimed to assess HRQoL and its associated factors among PLWHA receiving ART in Pakistan.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among PLWHA attending an ART centre of a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan. HRQoL was assessed using a validated Urdu version of EuroQol 5 dimensions 3 level (EQ-5D-3L) and its Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS).

RESULTS

Of the 602 patients included in the analyses, 59.5% (n = 358) reported no impairment in self-care, while 63.1% (n = 380) were extremely anxious/depressed. The overall mean EQ-5D utility score and visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) score were 0.388 (SD: 0.41) and 66.20 (SD: 17.22), respectively. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that the factors significantly associated with HRQoL were: female gender; age  > 50 years; having primary and secondary education;  > 1 year since HIV diagnosis; HIV serostatus AIDS-converted; higher CD 4 T lymphocytes count; detectable viral load; and increased time to ART.

CONCLUSIONS

The current findings have shown that PLWHA in Pakistan adherent to ART had a good overall HRQoL, though with significantly higher depression. Some of the factors identified are amenable to institution-based interventions while mitigating depression to enhance the HRQoL of PLWHA in Pakistan. The HRQoL determined in this study could be useful for future economic evaluation studies for ART and in designing future interventions.

The mediating effect of social support on the relationship between perceived stress and quality of life among shidu parents in China

BACKGROUND

"Loss-of-only-child family" refers to the family in which the only child died and the mother has passed her child-bearing age. The parents who are unable to reproduce or do not foster other children are known as "shidu parents" in China. This study aimed to estimate the quality of life (QOL) and the mediating role of social support between perceived stress and QOL in Chinese shidu parents.

METHODS

502 shidu parents were recruited in Shenyang city. Shidu parents were asked to complete a questionnaire including the MOS item short from health survey (SF-36), the perceived stress scale-10 (PSS-10) and the functional social support questionnaire (FSSQ). Hierarchical linear regression was performed to assess the associations among perceived stress, social support and QOL. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to explore the mediating role of social support.

RESULTS

The mean score of PCS and MCS was 64.83 ± 22.66 and 59.36 ± 21.83, respectively. Perceived stress was found to be negatively associated with both PCS (β =  - 0.21, p < 0.001) and MCS (β =  - 0.28, p < 0.001), while social support was positively associated with both PCS (β = 0.32, p < 0.001) and MCS (β = 0.32, p < 0.001). For shidu parents, the proportion of mediation of social support between perceived stress and QOL was 36.85% for PCS and 29.45% for MCS, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Perceived stress was associated with QOL and social support had a partially mediating effect between perceived stress and QOL in Chinese shidu parents. Low PCS and MCS of shidu parents highlight the need of timely developing interventions to reduce stress and reinforce social support to further improve their QOL.

Developing a pilot lifestyle intervention to prevent cardiovascular disease in midlife women with HIV

BACKGROUND

Background: Women with HIV (WWH) are at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to men with HIV. Lifestyle interventions, like the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), may reduce CVD risk, but most fail to address barriers to healthy behaviors facing WWH.

OBJECTIVE

Objective: To inform the adaptation of the DPP for midlife WWH, pilot the modified intervention, and assess feasibility, acceptability, and implementation barriers.

METHODS

Methods: Interviews were conducted with cisgender, English-speaking WWH ages 40-59 to assess intervention preferences. The adapted DPP was piloted and evaluated. CVD knowledge, CVD risk perception, quality of life, and physical activity were assessed pre- and post-intervention.

RESULTS

Results: Eighteen WWH completed interviews. Adaptations included reducing the number of sessions and adding HIV, CVD, stress, aging, menopause, and smoking content. Of 14 women contacted for the pilot, seven completed a baseline, five attended group sessions, and five completed a post-treatment assessment. Attendance barriers included transportation access and costs. Satisfaction was moderate; informal exit interviews indicated that women would recommend the program. CVD knowledge, perceived risk, and physical activity increased, and fatigue and mental health improved. Content on nutrition, aging, HIV, and stress was seen as most useful; suggested changes included group exercises and additional content on recipes, HIV management, and aging.

CONCLUSIONS

Conclusions: Midlife WWH reported benefits from our adapted intervention. Increases in CVD knowledge and perceived CVD risk suggest improved awareness of the impact of lifestyle behaviors. Retention was adequate; socioeconomic barriers were common. Intervention feasibility and acceptability may be improved via remote access and further content customization.

Examining Multilevel Factors Associated with the Process of Resilience among Women Living with HIV in a Large Canadian Cohort Study: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Objectives:

We examined how multiple, nested, and interacting systems impact the protective process of resilience for women living with HIV (WLWH).

Methods:

Using data from a Cohort Study, we conducted univariate analyses, multivariable logistic regression, and a 2-step structural equation modeling for the outcome, high resilience (N = 1422).

Results:

Participants reported high overall resilience scores with a mean of 62.2 (standard deviation = 8.1) and median of 64 (interquartile range = 59-69). The odds of having high resilience were greater for those residing in Quebec compared to Ontario (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.1 [1.6, 2.9]) and British Columbia (aOR = 1.8 [1.3, 2.5]). Transgender women had increased odds of high resilience than cisgender women (aOR = 1.9 [1.0, 3.6]). There were higher odds of resilience for those without mental health diagnoses (aOR = 2.4 [1.9, 3.0]), non-binge drinkers (aOR=1.5 [1.1, 2.1]), and not currently versus previously injecting drugs (aOR = 3.6 [2.1, 5.9]). Structural equation modeling confirmed that factors influencing resilience lie at multiple levels: micro, meso, exo, and macro systems of influence.

Conclusion:

There is a need to consider resilience as the interaction between the person and their environments, informing the development of multilevel interventions to support resilience among WLWH.

HIV-Related Stress Experienced by Newly Diagnosed People Living with HIV in China: A 1-Year Longitudinal Study

This study explored the HIV-related stressors that people living with HIV (PLWH) commonly experience and express as stressful at the time of diagnosis and 1 year later. The factors associated with stress levels and whether social support would moderate the negative effects of stress on psychological health (depressive and anxiety symptoms) were also investigated. Newly diagnosed PLWH were consecutively recruited in this study. Participants rated their stress with the HIV/AIDS Stress Scale at baseline and 1 year later. Social support, depression, and anxiety were also self-reported at both time points. There were significant decreases in stress levels 1 year after diagnosis. Stressors regarding confidentiality, disclosure, emotional distress, fear of infecting others, and excessive attention to physical functions were the most problematic at baseline and 1-year follow-up. A younger age, married status, not living alone, less income, presence of HIV symptoms, and lack of social support were associated with higher levels of stress. No stress-buffering effect of social support on depressive and anxiety symptoms was found in this study. Interventions to reduce stress among PLWH should take into consideration the following priority stressors: confidentiality, discrimination/stigma, serostatus disclosure, distressing emotions, fear of infecting others, and excessive attention to physical functions. More attention should be paid to PLWH with younger age, not living alone, less income, presence of HIV symptoms, and lack of social support.

Health-Related Quality of Life Among People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Ethiopia: PROQOL-HIV Based Survey

Background

As infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has evolved into a chronic disease, perceived health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is becoming a prominent and important patient-reported outcome measure in HIV care. This study aimed to assess HRQoL among people living with HIV on highly active antiretroviral therapy and factors associated with HRQoL in Ethiopia.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 160 HIV–infected patients who were initiated highly active antiretroviral therapy at Jimma University Medical Center in 2016. HRQoL was assessed using the patient-reported outcome quality of life-HIV (PROQOL-HIV) measuring scale. Linear regressions were used to identify factors associated with outcome. Statistical significance was considered at p-value <0.05.

Results

Out of a total of 160 participants, 63.13% were females. The mean (±SD) age of study participants was 41.47±9.45 years. The median baseline CD₄+ cell count was 182.00 cells/µL (IQR: 104.53–262.40 cells/µL). The mean (±SD) score of PROQOL-HIV scale domains was 77.58 ±15.11, 58.32 ±7.79, 61.75± 17.95, 85.07 ±15.67, 76.92 ± 20.52, 80.00 ±16.83, 74.37 ± 1.47, 81.45 ± 8.17 for physical health and symptoms, emotional distress, health concerns, body change, intimate relationships, social relationships, stigma, and treatment impact domains, respectively. Second line antiretroviral therapy showed a negative effect on the quality of life, especially on the treatment impact domain (β=−6.301). Cotrimoxazole preventive therapy had a significant positive effect on the physical health and symptoms of HIV patients (β= +8.381, p<0.05). Advanced disease (β=−2.709, p<0.05), and non-communicable disease comorbidity (β=−14.340, p<0.001) showed a significant negative effect on physical health and symptoms.

Conclusion

Several behavioral, clinical & immunological factors were negatively associated with health-related quality of life. The double burden of chronic non-communicable disease(s) and the impact of treatment were highly significant in all dimensions of HRQoL measures. Therefore, with HRQoL emerging as a key issue for HIV–infected patients, its routine assessment and appropriate interventions at each clinic visit would be very crucial.

Social and demographical determinants of quality of life in people who live with HIV/AIDS infection: evidence from a meta-analysis

The aim of this meta-analysis is to summarize the available evidence on the social and demographic determinants of health-related quality of life (QoL) for HIV-infected populations in order to provide a direction to policy makers, planners, and program developers on how best to use their resources to improve the QoL of HIV-infected people.PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Cochrane electronic databases were searched (up to February 2017) to identify the relevant studies. A meta-analysis was conducted with procreate polled odds ratios (ORs and β) and the confidence intervals of 95% on determining factors of QoL in social and demographic terms. Random effect model was applied to calculate pooled estimation, due to varied sampling methods of researches.In total, 5607 papers were identified from 4 databases and additional search in reference lists. Of these, 2107 articles were selected for full-text review. We included 19 studies that met the eligibility criteria. The pooled effect size shows a relative positive impact of social support for QoL among HIV/AIDS patients and its lower boundary is about 0.61 and the higher about 1.49. The pooled effect size has a considerable negative impact stigma on people who live with HIV/AIDS (PWLHs') QoL ranges from -0.34 to -0.32. Low socioeconomic status (poverty situation) was found to have a degenerative impact with PWLHs' QoL. Our finding indicates an association between younger 35 and QoL is negative with a relatively wide range, the minimum level of education has a weak association with PWLHs' QoL (ES: 0.14-0.2).There are several sociodemographic determinants of QoL among PWLHs and in this study, we found that stigma, low level of socioeconomic status, and being younger than 35 years old have a negative association with QoL, while the social support showed a positive association and a minimum level of education did not show a rigorous negative or positive association.

Factors influencing the quality of life in persons living with human immunodeficiency virus infection in Almaty, Kazakhstan

The study purpose was to determine the factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Kazakhstan. A convenience sample of 531 adult PLHIV registered at the Almaty City AIDS Center was used for this cross-sectional study. HRQoL data were collected with the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life HIV brief questionnaire, depression – with Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and clinical data were retrieved from medical records. Multivariate logistic and Tobit censored regressions were used to examine the relationship of socio-demographic, behavioral, and clinical factors with HRQoL and the six specific HRQoL domains: 35.8% of participants did not report good HRQoL. The following variables were identified as independent predictors of poor HRQoL: probable depression (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 13.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.56–39.52); history of injecting drug use (AOR 2.10, 95% CI: 1.40–3.14); CD4+ T-cell count <200 cells/mm³ (AOR 2.17, 95% CI: 1.30–3.62); previously married status (AOR 2.23, 95% CI: 1.16–4.28); and co-infection with tuberculosis, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, Chlamydia, herpes simplex, or cytomegalovirus (AOR 1.59, 95% CI: 1.06–2.39). HRQoL of PLHIV in Almaty was independently influenced by several factors. An interdisciplinary approach is needed in planning healthcare and social services addressing improvement of HRQoL among PLHIV.

Use of Living Strategies among Adults Aging with HIV in Canada: Comparison by Age-Group Using Data from the HIV, Health and Rehabilitation Survey

Objective:

To examine the type and frequency of living strategies used by adults living with HIV.

Methods:

We conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey that included 51 living strategies: maintaining sense of control, attitudes and beliefs, blocking HIV out of the mind, and social interaction. We examined the frequency of use and compared the proportion of respondents who engaged in strategies across 3 age-groups (<40 years, 40-49 years, and ≥50 years).

Results:

Of the 935 participants, the majority were men (79%) and most (≥60%) engaged “most” or “all of the time” in healthy lifestyle strategies and maintained a positive outlook living with HIV. Compared to younger participants, a higher proportion of older adults (≥50 years) engaged “most” or “all the time” in strategies that involved maintaining control over health and adopting positive attitudes and outlook living with HIV.

Conclusions:

Findings can help to inform the role of self-management to enhance successful aging with HIV.

Psychosocial correlates of health-related quality of life among people living with HIV in China: the mediating role of resilience

OBJECTIVES

The current study aims to examine associations between psychosocial factors and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the role of psychological resilience in mediating the relationship between perceived social support (PSS) and HRQoL.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was conducted among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Guangxi, China. A sample of 2987 PLHIV (1876 men and 1111 women) was included in the current analysis.

METHODS

Hierarchical multiple regression models were employed to assess the association of HRQoL with stigma, three types of PSS (informational, emotional and tangible), and resilience as well as to identify the possible role of resilience in mediating the effect of PSS on HRQoL RESULTS:: HRQoL was negatively associated with stigma (β = -0.27, P < 0.001), but positively associated with emotional PSS (β = 0.13, P < 0.001). After resilience was added to the model, HRQoL remained negatively associated with stigma (β = -0.20, P < 0.001), but positively associated with resilience (β = 0.38, P < 0.001). A mediating effect of resilience was found between emotional PSS and HRQoL (Sobel's Z = 16.87, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Interventions that consider enhancing resilience through building social support, especially emotional social support, will likely improve HRQoL among PLHIV.

Correlates of quality of life in mothers of children with diagnosed epilepsy

Contrary to a plethora of studies on the quality of life (QoL) of parents caring for children with chronic conditions, information regarding parents of children with epilepsy remains limited. The main purpose of the current study was to explore associations between children's biomedical characteristics, mothers' sociodemographic characteristics, mothers' situational factors, and QoL among mothers of children with epilepsy. One hundred and fifty mothers of children with epilepsy completed valid and reliable measures. The study was conducted at a large outpatient clinic for children with epilepsy in a central hospital in southern Israel. Sense of mastery and optimism emerged as significant predictors of all four domains of QoL; self-rated health (SRH) and mothers' socioeconomic status were significant predictors of three QoL domains; mothers' sleeping disturbances and children's behavioral problems predicted one QoL component. These results highlight the pivotal role that mastery and optimism play in securing the QoL of mothers caring for children with epilepsy. Moreover, mother's socioeconomic status and SRH should also be screened to deal with possible socioeconomic deprivation. In addition, health professionals should screen mothers and children for sleeping disturbances, and provide information about sleep hygiene. Psychosocial interventions need to be developed and offered to parents, in an attempt to address the social and behavior problems of children with epilepsy.

Impact of pre-diagnosis awareness of HIV-related stigma and dispositional coping on linkage to HIV care among newly diagnosed HIV+ Peruvian patients

A substantial body of literature has characterized how psychosocial factors, including HIV-related stigma and coping, are associated with HIV testing and HIV care utilization post-diagnosis. Less is known about if certain psychosocial characteristics pre-diagnosis may also predict linkage to care among individuals who receive an HIV-positive diagnosis. We examined if pre-diagnosis awareness/perception about HIV-related stigma and dispositional coping styles predicted linkage to HIV care within three months post-diagnosis with a secondary analysis of 604 patients from a randomized controlled trial (Sabes Study). Awareness/perception about HIV-related stigma, dispositional maladaptive and adaptive coping were measured before patients underwent an HIV test. Linkage to care was measured as receipt of care within three months of receiving the diagnosis. After adjusting for covariates, individuals who reported greater dispositional maladaptive coping pre-diagnosis had lower odds of linking to care, OR = 0.82, 95%CI [0.67, 1.00], p = .05. There was also a non-significant inverse association between dispositional adaptive coping pre-diagnosis and linkage to care. These preliminary data suggest the need for further longitudinal research and highlight the potential utility of pre-diagnosis psychosocial assessment and tailored counseling when providing positive HIV diagnosis results.

Trauma Exposure and Mental Health Problems Among Adults in Central Vietnam: A Randomized Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: There is relatively little evidence about the psychological and social impacts of trauma exposure in the general population in East Asian countries. Vietnam has a long history of war and poverty, is prone to natural disasters and has high mortality related to traffic accidents. The mental health systems may be inadequate to cope with the resultant trauma. Objectives: This research examines the lifetime prevalence of single and multiple traumas and the association between trauma exposure and depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among a randomly selected sample of the adult population in Thua Thien-Hue province in central Vietnam. Methods: Six hundred and eight Vietnamese adults aged 18 years or older participated in the survey. The main tools in the face-to-face interview included the Life Event Checklist (LEC) to measure trauma exposure, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-IV (PCL-IV). Hierarchical multiple logistic regression was used to examine associations between trauma exposure and mental health. Results: Forty seven percent of the participants experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime and about half of these people were exposed to multiple traumas. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms among the total sample was 12.7, 15.5, and 6.9%, respectively. Prevalence of PTSD among those reporting trauma exposure was 14.8%. Exposure to a higher number of trauma types was associated with increased risk of having depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Interpersonal traumas were strongly associated with symptoms of all three mental disorders while non-interpersonal traumas were only associated with depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Our findings indicate high burden of lifetime trauma and mental ill health in the adult population of central Vietnam and show a cumulative effect of multiple traumas on symptoms of the three mental disorders. Interpersonal trauma appears to have a more harmful effect on mental health than non-interpersonal trauma. Efforts to improve mental health in Vietnam should focus on reducing risk of preventable interpersonal trauma in every stage of life, and more broadly, ensure greater availability of trauma-sensitive mental health programs and services.

Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV) in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in China

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV) in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in mainland China.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 646 PLWHA between May 2015 and March 2016 in Dalian, Ningbo, and Zhengzhou City, China. The MOS-HIV includes 35 items and measures 10 scales. These ten scales can be effectively calculated under two summary scale scores, the physical health score (PHS) and the mental health score (MHS), with the physical functioning, pain and role functioning scales contributing to the PHS, the mental health, health distress, quality of life and cognitive function scales contributing to the MHS, and the energy/fatigue, general health and social functioning contributing to both factors. Reliability was measured in terms of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was analyzed using Cronbach's α coefficient, and test-retest reliability was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Validity was analyzed via construct validity, convergent and discriminant validity, and known group validity. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were used to test construct validity. A multiple-group CFA analysis was conducted to investigate whether the MOS-HIV measured the same constructs across gender groups.

RESULTS

The MOS-HIV questionnaire was reliable and valid. Reliability of the PHS and MHS scales was 0.87 and 0.89, respectively. While the Cronbach's α coefficients for each of the dimensions were > 0.70. According to the results of the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the hypothesized model was acceptable. The instrument showed factorial invariance across gender groups. All correlation coefficients were greater than 0.40, with a range of 0.60-0.94. The correlation coefficients observed between items and other dimensions were lower than the coefficients for the correlations between items and hypothesized dimensions for all scales, suggesting good convergent and discriminant validity. Patients with CD4 counts >500 cells/mm3 demonstrated better QOL than those with lower CD4 counts on six scales and the PHS (p<0.05) and symptomatic respondents had significantly lower scores than asymptomatic respondents on all the scales except health transition scales (p<0.05) suggesting good known group validity.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study provide evidence that the MOS-HIV may be an acceptable, valid and reliable instrument for evaluating QOL of PLWHA in mainland China.

Association between coping strategies, social support, and depression and anxiety symptoms among rural Ugandan women living with HIV/AIDS

Poor mental health detrimentally affects quality of life among women living with HIV/AIDS. An improved understanding of how coping and social support relate to depression and anxiety in this population can facilitate the design and implementation of appropriate mental health treatment and support services. Secondary analysis was conducted on baseline data from 288 HIV-positive women enrolled in a parenting intervention in Uganda. Depression and anxiety symptoms, social support, and coping were assessed with the Hopkins Symptom Checklist and adapted versions of the Multidimensional Scale for Perceived Social Support and Ways of Coping Questionnaire. General linear regression models were used to estimate associations between coping and mental health. Based on report of elevated symptoms, approximately 10% of women were categorized as having clinically-relevant depression or anxiety. Emotion-focused (EF: p < .001) and problem-focused (PF: p = .01) coping were associated with more depressive symptoms while greater family support (EF: p = .002; PF: p = .003) was associated with fewer depression symptoms. More anxiety symptoms were associated with reporting both coping strategies (EF: p < .001; PF: p = .02) and higher community support (EF&PF: p = .01). The cross-sectional nature of the study limits our ability to rule out the role of reverse causation in the significant relationship between coping and mental health. Findings do suggest that high family support can be protective against depression and anxiety symptoms among women living with HIV.

Bouncing Back: Resilience and Mastery Among HIV-Positive Older Gay and Bisexual Men

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Adults with HIV infection are living into old age. It is critical we investigate positive constructs such as resilience and mastery to determine factors associated with psychological well-being. We examine HIV-related factors, adverse conditions, and psychosocial characteristics that are associated with resilience (the ability to bounce back) and mastery (sense of self-efficacy).

DESIGN AND METHODS

We analyzed 2014 data from the longitudinal study Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study (NHAS), focusing on a subsample of 335 gay and bisexual older men. Multivariate linear regression was used to identify factors that contributed or detracted from resilience and mastery in the sample recruited from 17 sites from across the United States.

RESULTS

Resilience and mastery were independently associated with psychological health-related quality of life. In multivariate analysis, adjusting for demographic characteristics, previous diagnosis of depression was negatively associated with resilience. Time since HIV diagnosis was positively associated with mastery whereas victimization was negatively associated with mastery. Social support and community engagement were positively associated with both resilience and mastery.

IMPLICATIONS

Individual and structural-environmental characteristics contributed to resilience and mastery. These findings can be used to develop interventions incorporating an increased understanding of factors that are associated with both resilience and mastery.

Gastrointestinal Symptom Distress is Associated With Worse Mental and Physical Health-Related Quality of Life

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of self-reported gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and distress is high, but few studies have quantified their impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients with HIV in care in Ontario, Canada (2007-2014). General linear mixed models were used to assess the impact of GI symptoms (diarrhea/soft stool, nausea/vomiting, bloating/painful abdomen, loss of appetite, weight loss/wasting) and distress (range: 0-4) on physical and mental HRQoL summary scores (range: 0-100) measured by the Medical Outcomes Survey SF-36.

RESULTS

A total of 1787 participants completed one or more questionnaires {median 3 [interquartile range (IQR): 1-4]}. At baseline, 59.0% were men who had sex with men, 53.7% white, median age 45 (IQR: 38-52), median CD4 count 457 (IQR: 315-622), and 71.0% had undetectable HIV viremia. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) mental and physical HRQoL scores were 49.2 (8.6) and 45.3 (13.0), respectively. In adjusted models, compared with those reporting no symptoms, all GI symptom distress scores from 2 ("have symptom, bothers me a little") to 4 ("have symptom, bothers a lot") were associated with lower mental HRQoL. Loss of appetite distress scores ≥ 1; scores ≥ 2 for diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, and bloating; and a score ≥ 3 for weight loss were independently associated with lower physical HRQoL scores (P < 0.0001). Increasing GI symptom distress is associated with impaired mental and physical HRQoL (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Increasing GI symptom distress is associated with impaired mental and physical HRQoL. Identifying, treating, and preventing GI symptoms may reduce overall symptom burden and improve HRQoL for patients with HIV.

Health-related quality of life among military HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were: (i) to determine the factors associated with HRQOL at baseline in our cohort, and (ii) to evaluate if there are differences in baseline HRQOL measures by antiretroviral treatment.

METHODS

The Short Form 36 (SF-36) was administered between 2006 and 2010 among members of the United States HIV Natural History Study cohort (NHS), and participants who completed the SF-36 were included in the study. Physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores were computed based on standard algorithms. Multivariate linear regression models were constructed for PCS and MCS to estimate the association between selected variables and HRQOL scores.

RESULTS

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) was not independently associated with HRQOL scores. Factors associated with PCS were CD4+ count < 200 cells/mm3 (β = -5.84, 95% CI: -7.63, -4.06), mental comorbidity (β = -2.82, 95% CI: -3.79, -1.85), medical comorbidity (β = -2.51, 95% CI: -3.75, -1.27), AIDS diagnosis (β = -2.38, 95% CI: -3.79, -0.98). Others were gender, military rank, marital status, and age. Factors independently associated with MCS were CD4+ count < 200 cells/mm3 (β = -1.93, 95% CI: -3.85, -0.02), mental comorbidity (β = -6.25, 95% CI: -7.25, -5.25), age (β = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.60), and being African American (β = 1.55, 95% CI: 0.63, 2.47).

CONCLUSION

Among military active duty and beneficiaries with HIV, modifiable factors associated with HRQOL measures included advanced HIV disease, and mental or medical comorbidity. Addressing these factors may improve quality of life of HIV-infected individuals in the NHS cohort.

Contextualizing Psychosocial Determinants of Alcohol Use by Age Cohorts of Adults Living With HIV, Ages 50 and Older

We examined the influence of age on associations between affective states, social support, and alcohol use by age cohorts. We recruited 96 older Black adults living with HIV from the southeastern United States in 2013 and 2014. Participants completed questionnaires assessing demographics, psychological function, and substance use. Hierarchical regression analyses assessed the relationship between psychosocial factors and alcohol use in a 50- to 59-year-old group, and a 60-years-and-older age group. After controlling for covariates, trait anger, state anger, and life stress were positively associated with alcohol consumption in the younger group, while social support was negatively associated with alcohol consumption in the older group. Interventions should target negative affective states in 50- to 59-year-old adults with HIV, and preserve social support for adults with HIV as they age, as such interventions will likely have an impact on these individuals' alcohol consumption and longstanding quality of life.

Health-related quality of life and associated factors in people with HIV: an Irish cohort study

Background

Considering the chronic and debilitating nature of HIV infection, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important patient-reported clinical outcome to better understand the effects of this infection and its treatment on patients’ lives. The purpose of this study was to assess the HRQoL and its association with sociodemographic, behavioural, clinical, nutrition-related factors and social support in an Irish HIV cohort.

Methods

A cross-sectional, prospective study using the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health survey assessed the 10 dimensions of HRQoL and summarised as Physical Health Summary (PHS) and Mental Health Summary (MHS) scores. Participants were categorised as having good or poor PHS and MHS using the standardised mean score of 50. The variables independently associated with PHS and MHS were identified using multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

Overall, 521 participants completed the HRQoL questionnaire. The median (IQR) PHS and MHS scores were 56 (47–60) and 51 (41–58) respectively. All the covariate groups had lower MHS than PHS. Participants with symptoms of HIV reported the lowest median (IQR) PHS score 44.7 (32.–54.5) and MHS score 36.1 (28.6–48.4). Of the 10 dimensions of HRQoL, the lowest scores were for the energy level and general health. Symptoms of HIV, co-morbidities, social support, employment and ethnicity had independent association with both PHS and MHS. Gender, education, alcohol intake and HIV-complications were associated with PHS. Age, illicit drugs, BMI and malnutrition were associated with MHS. However, CD4 count and viral load were not independently associated with PHS and MHS in multivariable regression models.

Conclusion

Overall, HIV-infected people in this cohort had an average level of HRQoL. However, it is impaired in people with symptoms and co-morbidities, and not independently associated with CD4 and viral load. Alleviating HIV symptoms and preventing co-morbidities are important in managing HIV. Providing psychosocial supports for behaviour modification and return to work or exploring new opportunities will help to improve HRQoL. Healthcare providers and policy makers need to plan and implement programs to routinely assess the HRQoL in a systematic method to facilitate a holistic management of HIV.

Psychosocial adjustment in perinatally human immunodeficiency virus infected or exposed children - a Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective

To determine whether perinatal HIV infection and exposure adversely affected psychosocial adjustment (PA) between 6 and 18 years of life (i.e. during school-age and adolescence).

Methods

We enrolled 58 perinatally HIV-infected, 56 HIV-exposed uninfected and 54 unexposed controls from Kampala, Uganda. Perinatal HIV status was determined by 18 months of age using a DNA-polymerase chain-reaction test and was confirmed via HIV rapid diagnostic test at psychosocial testing when the children were 6 to 18 years old. Five indicators of PA (depressive symptoms, distress, hopelessness, positive future orientation and esteem) were measured using validated, culturally adapted and translated instruments. Multivariable linear regression analyses estimated HIV-status-related percent differences (β) in PA indicators and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

During school-age and adolescence, positive outlook (β=−3.8, 95% CI: −7.2, −0.1) and self-esteem (β=−4.3, 95% CI: −6.7, −1.8) scores were significantly lower, whereas depressive (β=11.4, 95% CI: 3.3, 19.5) and distress (β=12.3, 95% CI: 5.9, 18.7) symptoms were elevated for perinatally HIV-infected, compared to unexposed controls and exposed uninfected children. Similarly, positive outlook (β=−4.3, 95% CI: −7.3, −1.2) and self-esteem were lower for exposed controls versus HIV-unexposed children. Hopelessness was similar by perinatal HIV status. Likewise, the distress and depressive symptom levels were comparable for HIV-exposed uninfected and HIV-unexposed children.

Conclusions

Perinatal HIV infection predicted higher distress and depressive symptoms, while HIV-affected status (infection/exposure) predicted low self-esteem and diminished positive outlook in the long term. However, HIV-affected status had no impact on hopelessness, suggesting that psychosocial interventions as an integral component of HIV care for infected children or primary care exposed uninfected children may improve PA and quality of life in these vulnerable groups.

The impact of coping on the somatic and mental status of patients with COPD: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most debilitating somatic diseases, having anxiety and depression frequently as comorbidities. The coping style, the way in which the subject manages to control the difficult and stressful situations of life, can influence its evolution and also the existence of the comorbidities. In this study, coping styles in a group of subjects with COPD and their association with the intensity of depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as medical determinants were identified.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 28 male patients with COPD risk class D were enrolled. The patients performed spirometry tests, Borg scale, 6-minute walking test, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and COPE Inventory were recorded.

RESULTS

According to their higher coping subscale score, the depression score was the highest in patients with avoidance-type coping and the lowest in patients with problem-focused coping (11.0 vs 5.6; P=0.042), respectively, patients with social support-focused coping having the highest anxiety score in contrast to patients with emotion-focused coping, which had the lowest anxiety score (11.6 vs 5.0; P=0.006). Regarding respiratory parameters, significant differences were present for the variation of the medians between the four groups only for forced vital capacity (FVC%) (the lowest FVC% was in patients with predominant social support-focused coping and the highest in patients with problem-focused coping) and 6-minute walking test (%) (the lowest score for patients with social support-focused coping and the highest value in patients with avoidance-type coping). Problem-coping score was significantly and positively associated with FVC% (Spearman's r=0.400; P=0.035), emotion-focused coping score was significantly and positively associated with FVC% (Spearman's r=0.395; P=0.038), and social support-focused coping score was negatively and significantly correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 second/FVC% ratio (Spearman's r=0.389; P=0.041). A significant, negative correlation was found only between depression score and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (Spearman's r=-0.435; P=0.026) with respect to psychiatric symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Coping styles in patients with COPD affect the intensity of associated depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as medical determinants, thus the coping style should be considered an important part in the multidisciplinary approach of these patients.

A Spanish Study on Psychological Predictors of Quality of Life in People with HIV

In Spain little research has focused on assessment of health indicators, both physical and psychological, in people living with HIV. The aim of this study is to evaluate a set of different indicators that allow us to identify psychological factors that may be influencing the quality of life of these people. The sample consist of 744 people infected with HIV aged between from 18 to 82 years (M = 43.04; SD = 9.43). Results show that factors such as self-esteem and leading a healthy lifestyle act as protectors in both, physical and mental health. On the other hand, financial problems, body disfigurement, and depressive mood could have harmful effects on both, physical and mental health. The structural model reveals depressed mood as the factor with greatest influence upon mental health, which in turn can be largely explained by factors such as the stress generated by HIV and personal autonomy. This work has allowed us to identify the vulnerability and protective factors that play a significant role in the physical and mental HRQOL of persons with HIV, providing guidelines for design and implementation of psychological intervention programs aimed to improve HRQOL in this population.

Improving Health-Related Quality of Life among People Living with HIV: Results from an Impact Evaluation of a Food Assistance Program in Uganda

Introduction

Widespread food insecurity in Africa continues to compromise an effective response to the AIDS epidemic. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a comprehensive indicator of physical, mental, and social well-being that is associated with food insecurity and increasingly used to assess the well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). We examined the impact of a food assistance intervention, previously shown to have reduced household food insecurity and improved nutritional status, on HRQoL of PLHIV.

Methods

We capitalized on an existing intervention targeting antiretroviral therapy (ART)- naïve PLHIV in Uganda, and conducted a prospective impact evaluation including a treatment and a comparison group. Data analyzed included 640 participants from two districts (318 in the intervention district) interviewed in both clinic and household settings at baseline and again approximately one year later. The main outcomes considered were physical and mental health dimensions of HRQoL, and other outcomes included self- and healthcare provider-reported symptoms. We utilized difference-in-difference propensity score matching methodologies to infer causality and examine program impacts.

Results

Over 12 months, food assistance significantly increased physical health scores (PHS) by 2.85 (P < .01) or approximately 0.35 SD, and reduced substantially the number of self- and healthcare provider-reported HIV-related symptoms by 3.83 and 2.68, respectively (P < .01). There was no significant impact, however, on mental health scores (MHS).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the potential importance for HRQoL of including food assistance programming as part of the standard of care for PLHIV in areas of widespread food insecurity.

Comparison of coping strategies and supports between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people living with HIV in Ontario

Complex historical and cultural factors have contributed to the HIV epidemic among Aboriginal populations in Canada. This study assesses social supports, adaptive and maladaptive coping mechanisms, stress, and mastery of Canadian-born Aboriginal and Canadian-born Caucasian people living with HIV in Ontario and posits that coping and social support are important micro- and meso-level factors associated with the epidemic. This cross-sectional analysis included questionnaire data collected from 2007 to 2011 at HIV clinics in Toronto. Categorical and continuous variables were compared using chi-square and Wilcoxon rank sum tests, respectively. Correlates of social support and coping were determined using univariate and multivariable linear regression. The analysis included 70 Aboriginal and 665 Caucasian participants. Aboriginal participants had lower levels of employment, education, and annual household income. Aboriginal participants reported more overall (7 vs. 4, p = 0.0003), ongoing (4 vs. 2, p = 0.0004), and early childhood (2 vs. 1, p = 0.02) stressors. Maladaptive coping, adaptive coping, and mastery scores were similar between Aboriginal and Caucasian participants. In multivariable analysis, injection drug use and lower education levels were significant correlates of higher maladaptive coping and lower overall support scores. Despite numerous socioeconomic challenges and personal stressors, Aboriginal people living with HIV who are accessing care exhibited comparable coping and mastery scores to Canadian-born Caucasian people living with HIV, suggesting remarkable strengths within Aboriginal people living with HIV and their communities.

Resilience, stress, and life quality in older adults living with HIV/AIDS

OBJECTIVES

This study tested the mediating effect of resilience on the relationship between life stress and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older people, 50 years of age and older, living with HIV/AIDS (OPLWHA).

METHOD

Data from 299 OPLWHA were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to define a novel resilience construct (represented by coping self-efficacy, active coping, hope/optimism, and social support) and to assess mediating effects of resilience on the association between life stress and HRQoL (physical, emotional, and functional/global well-being).

RESULTS

SEM analyses showed satisfactory model fit for both resilience and mediational models, with resilience mediating the associations between life stress and physical, emotional, and functional/global well-being.

CONCLUSION

Resilience may reduce the negative influence of life stress on physical, emotional, and functional/global well-being in OPLWHA. Interventions that build personal capacity, coping skills, and social support may contribute to better management of HIV/AIDS and increase HRQoL.

What determines health-related quality of life among people living with HIV: an updated review of the literature

BACKGROUND

As infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has evolved to a chronic disease, perceived health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is becoming a prominent and important patient-reported outcome measure in HIV care. Literature discusses different factors influencing HRQoL in this population, however, currently no consensus exists about the main determinants. In this review a clear, up-to-date overview of the determinants influencing HRQOL among people living with HIV is provided.

METHODS

All studies published before July 2013 that identified determinants of HRQoL among people living with HIV in high-income countries, were considered in this narrative review. PubMed, Web of Science and The Cochrane Library were consulted using the keywords 'determinants', 'quality of life', 'HIV' and 'AIDS'. To be included, studies should have reported overall health and/or physical/mental health scores on a validated instrument and performed multivariable regression analyses to identify determinants that independently influence perceived HRQoL.

RESULTS

In total, 49 studies were included for further analysis and they used a variety of HRQoL instruments: Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 or variants, Medical Outcomes Study-HIV, HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study measure, Multidimensional Quality of Life Questionnaire, HIV targeted quality of life instrument, Functional Assessment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection, HIV Overview of Problems Evaluation System, EuroQol, Fanning Quality of Life scale, Health Index and PROQOL-HIV. In this review, the discussed determinants were thematically divided into socio-demographic, clinical, psychological and behavioural factors. Employment, immunological status, presence of symptoms, depression, social support and adherence to antiretroviral therapy were most frequently and consistently reported to be associated with HRQoL among people living with HIV.

CONCLUSIONS

HRQoL among people living with HIV is influenced by several determinants. These determinants independently, but simultaneously impact perceived HRQoL. Most HRQoL instruments do not capture all key determinants. We recommend that the choice for an instrument should depend on the purpose of the HRQoL assessment.

Gender Differences in Severity and Correlates of Depression Symptoms in People Living with HIV in Ontario, Canada

This study investigates the differences in severity and correlates of depression symptoms among 1069 men and 267 women living with HIV in Ontario, Canada, who completed the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Women had higher CES-D scores than that of men (median [interquartile range]: 13 [5-26] versus 9 [3-20], P = .0004). More women had total CES-D scores >15 (mild-moderate depression; 44% versus 33%, P = .002) and >21 (severe depression; 31% versus 23%, P = .003). Unlike men, at age 40, women’s scores increased yearly (0.4 per increased year, P = .005). The distribution of scores differed by gender: There was no difference in the 10th percentile of depression scores, 0 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0-1.0) but the 75th percentile of depression scores for women was 6 (95% CI: 2.0-10.0) points higher than that of men. Important gender differences exist in depression symptoms and in correlates of symptoms in people living with HIV.

Coping, psychopathology, and quality of life in cancer patients under palliative care

Objective:

To assess hopelessness, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in cancer patients undergoing palliative treatment by comparing their scores at the onset of treatment and one month later and by assessing possible correlations with coping strategies.

Method:

Participants included 85 patients of both genders (56.5% female) diagnosed with advanced cancer who did not have curative therapeutic options who were assessed with self-applied instruments (the Beck Hopelessness Scale, the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire–Cancer 30, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Coping Strategies Inventory by Folkman and Lazarus) at two timepoints: first before their appointment with doctors and other professionals in their first visit to the palliative care outpatient clinic (PCOC) and then as soon as patients arrived at the PCOC for their first medical follow-up visit (approximately 30 days after the first appointment).

Results:

The scores for hopelessness, anxiety, and depression remained stable (p = 0.24). The results were the same for the quality-of-life (QoL) variables, except for the fatigue and pain scores, which decreased (p = 0.01), and social impairment, which increased (p = 0.03). Analysis of the correlations between the coping mechanisms used after the onset of palliative treatment showed that confronting coping, seeking social support, and positive reappraisal were inversely correlated with hopelessness. Seeking social support, planful problem solving, and positive reappraisal were inversely correlated with indicators of depression. In contrast, use of the escape–avoidance strategy and reduced use of the planful problem-solving strategy were associated with increased anxiety.

Significance of results:

The employment of problem-focused coping strategies exerted a positive impact on the end-of-life process and, above all, protected patients from the negative experiences associated with psychiatric symptoms, thus enabling them to look for alternative solutions for experiencing the end-of-life process in a more well-adjusted manner.

Psychosocial profile and lived experience of HIV-infected long-term nonprogressors: a mixed method study

The goal of this mixed method study was to describe the psychosocial profile of HIV-infected persons identified as long-term nonprogressors (LTNP), and their experiences of nonprogression. Data were collected from 24 participants with a mean age of 48 years and a mean duration of infection of 14 years. Results show rather moderate levels of anxiety and depression symptoms and a modest mean score of social support. Participants adapted by using acceptance, positive restructuring, and active coping strategies. Seven themes marked the experience: (a) reacting to announcement and dealing with diagnosis, (b) valuing interpersonal relations and well-being, (c) making changes in life, (d) coping with stress, (e) dealing with health care, (f) beliefs about reasons for nonprogression, and (g) living positively while dreading progression. The findings enrich a field of knowledge that has had little attention so far and shed light on the psychosocial profile of LTNP and their experiences of nonprogression.

Coping mediates the relationship between disease severity and illness intrusiveness among chronically ill patients

Reducing perceptions of illness intrusiveness may improve quality of life and mental health among patients with cardiopulmonary disease. To better understand relationships between coping style, locus of control, perceived illness intrusiveness, and disease severity, we analyzed data from 227 older Veterans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or congestive heart failure. Regressions revealed illness intrusiveness to be associated with younger age and greater disease severity, less internal locus of control, and avoidant/emotion-focused coping. Avoidant/emotion-focused coping but not active coping mediated the relationship between illness severity and illness intrusiveness. Findings suggest that supportive psychological interventions may reduce illness intrusiveness by targeting an avoidant/emotion-focused coping style and associated behaviors.

Quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS under the new epidemic characteristics in China and the associated factors

Background

Improvement of quality of life has been one of goals in health care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). In China, the epidemic characteristics have changed and transmission is now most commonly sexual contact. However, the assessment of quality of life of PLWHA under new characteristics has limited reporting. This study was designed to assess the quality of life among PLWHA who contracted disease mainly via sexual contact and to clarify the associated factors.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed in Liaoning Province. Sample size (800) was calculated based on the fatality rate and enlarged with consideration on the loss of response. Participants were sampled by tables of random numbers among all registered PLWHA. Questionnaires pertaining to quality of life (SF-36) and related factors (demographic characteristics, social support and network, HIV/AIDS awareness, and behavior factors) were distributed during December 2010-April 2011. 783 effective responses were obtained.

Results

The average scores of physical component summary (PCS), mental component summary (MCS), and total score (TS) were 66.8±21.9 (Mean±SD), 62.2±20.9, and 64.5±20.2. General linear model analysis revealed that, in standardized estimate (β) sequence, PCS was significantly associated with monthly income, perceived social support, antiretroviral therapy, transmission, and ethnicity; MCS was associated with perceived social support, antiretroviral therapy, condom use, monthly income, transmission, ethnicity, and alcohol consumption; whereas TS was associated with perceived social support, antiretroviral therapy, monthly income, transmission, condom use, and ethnicity.

Conclusions

Quality of life for PLWHA who contracted HIV mainly via sexual contact was worse and both physical conditions and social integration were impacted. Under current epidemic characteristics, efforts to increase social support and enhance the implementation of supporting policy are necessary to improve the quality of life of PLWHA.

Food access and diet quality are associated with quality of life outcomes among HIV-infected individuals in Uganda

Background

Food insecurity is associated with poor nutritional and clinical outcomes among people living with HIV/AIDS. Few studies investigate the link between food insecurity, dietary diversity and health-related quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS.

Objective

We investigated whether household food access and individual dietary diversity are associated with health-related quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda.

Methods

We surveyed 902 people living with HIV/AIDS and their households from two clinics in Northern Uganda. Health-related quality of life outcomes were assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS)-HIV Survey. We performed multivariate regressions to investigate the relationship between health-related quality of life, household food insecurity and individual dietary diversity.

Results

People living with HIV/AIDS from severe food insecurity households have mean mental health status scores that are 1.7 points lower (p<.001) and physical health status scores that are 1.5 points lower (p<.01). Individuals with high dietary diversity have mean mental health status scores that were 3.6 points higher (p<.001) and physical health status scores that were 2.8 points higher (p<.05).

Conclusions

Food access and diet quality are associated with health-related quality of life and may be considered as part of comprehensive interventions designed to mitigate psychosocial consequences of HIV.

Risk and protective factors associated with health-related quality of life among older gay and bisexual men living with HIV disease

PURPOSE

To identify risk and protective factors associated with mental and physical health-related quality of life, after controlling for key background characteristics, in a population of older gay and bisexual men living with HIV disease. Previous research examining quality of life among persons living with HIV rarely includes older adults.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Survey responses from 226 gay and bisexual men aged 50 and older, and living with HIV disease, which were part of the Caring and Aging with Pride study, were analyzed using multivariate linear regression models.

RESULTS

Findings reveal that comorbidity, limitations in activities, and victimization are significant risk factors for decreased physical and mental health-related quality of life. Stigma and HIV progression did not contribute to the overall outcome variables in multivariate models. Social support and self-efficacy serve as protective factors although social support was only significant with mental health-related quality of life.

IMPLICATIONS

Comorbidity, functional limitations, and lifetime victimization are risks to quality of life among older gay and bisexual men with HIV disease. Self-efficacy and social support represent intrapersonal and interpersonal resources that can be enhanced through interventions to improve health-related quality of life.

Impact of hepatitis B and C co-infection on health-related quality of life in HIV positive individuals

PURPOSE

Concurrent infection with HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) often occurs due to the commonality in risk factors for acquisition. Few studies have examined the effect of co-infection on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in HIV positive individuals.

METHODS

Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study (OCS) participants who completed an annual interviewer-administered questionnaire on up to three occasions were included. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to assess the impact of HBV and HCV co-infection on physical and mental HRQOL component summary scores (range 0-100) as measured by the Medical Outcomes SF-36 health survey.

RESULTS

As of March 2010, 1,223 participants had completed the questionnaire; 964 were HIV mono-infected, 128 were HIV-HBV co-infected, 112 were HIV-HCV co-infected, and 19 were HIV-HBV-HCV tri-infected. Eighty percent were male, median age 46 (IQR 40-53) years, 61% Caucasian, median CD4 count 464 (IQR 319-636) cells/mm(3), and 74% had undetectable HIV viremia. Physical HRQOL was lower in HIV-HBV and HIV-HCV co-infected individuals (49.4 (IQR 42.0-53.9) and 48.1 (IQR 36.9-52.8) vs. 51.5 (IQR 45.0-55.4); p = 0.01 and <0.0001) compared to mono-infected individuals. In the multivariable GEE model, the negative impact of HCV remained significant (-2.18; p = 0.01) after adjusting for drug use, smoking, age, and gender. Unadjusted mental HRQOL was lower in HIV-HCV co-infected individuals (44.6 (IQR 34.6-54.0) vs. 48.9 (IQR 36.8-55.9); p = 0.03) compared to mono-infected individuals but no association of mental HRQOL with either co-infection was observed in multivariable GEE models.

CONCLUSIONS

HCV appears to negatively impact physical HRQOL suggesting a greater health burden for co-infected individuals. HBV and HCV co-infections were not related to lower mental HRQOL among people living with HIV/AIDS.

Depression and posttraumatic stress disorder among HIV-infected Gambians on antiretroviral therapy

Mood disorders are more frequent among people with HIV infection than among non-HIV-infected individuals of the same age, socioeconomic status, and HIV risks. They have been associated with worse adherence and clinical outcomes, yet remain underdiagnosed and undertreated in sub-Saharan Africa. We explored the relationship between mood disorders using the 10-item depression scale of the Centers for Epidemiological Studies (CES-D10) and the 22-item Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) for posttraumatic stress disorder, and a range of demographic and HIV-related variables among 252 consecutive subjects on antiretroviral therapy (ART). The study was conducted in the Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic of the Medical Research Council's Gambia Unit. These screening tests were positive in 7% and 30%, respectively, of the patients, with higher scores (more depression or more post-traumatic stress) associated with female gender, more advanced WHO clinical stage, and lower Karnofsky Perfomance Scale rating. Higher CES-D10 scores were also seen among those on their second ART regimen. No relationship was seen with age, time on ART, viral load, or CD4 cell count. Compared to an earlier study at the same site in subjects prior to starting ART, the prevalence of depression in those stabilized on ART was dramatically reduced (by 34%, from 41%) while that of PTSD dropped less (by 13%, from 43%). Integrating the CES-D10 or a similar instrument into patient preparation for ART is recommended in order to identify those who may benefit from further mental health investigations, specific therapy, or closer follow-up during early ART.