Paper
Friday, July 23, 2004
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Friday, July 23, 2004
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Lipodystrophy and Quality of Life in HIV: Symptom Management Issues
Patrice Kenneally Nicholas, RN, DNSc, MPH, ANP1, Kenn M. Kirksey, RN, PhD, APRN, BC2, Inge B. Corless, RN, PhD, FAAN1, and Jeanne Kemppainen, RN, PhD, CNS3. (1) Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA, USA, (2) Department of Nursing, California State University, Fresno, Fresno, CA, USA, (3) School of Nursing, The University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence and prevalence of lipodystrophy-related symptoms in persons with HIV (n=165) and to examine the impact of these symptoms on health-related quality of life. Since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV disease, the quality of life of persons with HIV is clearly affected across the spectrum of the disease. The sample was composed of 165 persons from three national outpatient HIV settings (clinics and community based organizations) in Boston MA, Fresno CA, and Victoria TX. The descriptive, cross-sectional study included self-report instruments measuring lipodystrophy-associated symptom presence, intensity, and quality of life. The sample was primarily male (75.8%) with ethnicity represented across several groups including African-American (30.9%), Hispanic/Latino (26.7%), Caucasian/Anglo (38.8%), Native American/Indian (1.8%), and other (1.8%). On quality of life measures, only 7.9% of the sample indicated excellent health; 28.5% indicated very good health; 22.4% indicated good health; and over 40% indicated fair or poor health. Most of the participants indicated that their quality of life was good and bad parts about equal in their lives (37.6%). Quality of life was significantly correlated with adequacy of income (r=.241, p=.002), most recent CD4 count (r=-.276, p=.012), and most recent viral load value (r=.379, p=.019). In addition, bodily pain was significantly correlated with most recent CD4 count (r=-.312, p=.004), and with lowest CD4 count (r=-.191, p=.050). The results of the study indicate that quality of life is affected by HIV symptoms and that lipodystrophy may negatively affect quality of life.
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Sigma Theta Tau International
July 22-24, 2004