Abstract #288  -  Does Lipodystrophy Syndrome (LDS) have an effect on mood stigma and illness perception in HIV+ African people? A comparative study in a London clinic.
Authors:   Presenting Author:   Dr Tomas campbell - Newham Primary Care NHS Trsut
Additional Authors:  Ms Hannah Beer, Ms Precious Legemah, Ms Mbalu Saine,
Aim: LDS is associated with increased health risks and psychological barriers to adherence to ARVs. Changes to bodily appearance have been associated with negative emotional and social consequences e.g. lower self-esteem, mood, quality of life, and social withdrawal and stigma. LDS seems to make the experience of coping with HIV disease harder. However, there is little data on how African people are affected by LDS. This cross-sectional study compared HIV+ African people with LDS with HIV+ African people without LDS.
Method / Issue: Study group: 28 African people with physician diagnosed LDS (17 female, 11 male) completed a mood scale (Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale), HIV Stigma Scale (HSS) and the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQr) to assess impact of LDS on psychological and social function. The control group (n=17: 13 female, 4 male) completed the same measures.
Results / Comments: Age range was 31-60 years: mean = 44 years. The study group were significantly more anxious (61% vs 47%) and depressed (46% vs 18%) than the control group (p=<.05). Most (82%) have not had Nufill for facial lipoatrophy. Both groups scored highly on the HSS indicating perception of negative social and psychological consequences because of HIV status: there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. High IPQ scores for both groups indicated that participants felt their HIV status had a negative impact for them. The study group scored more highly on the following factors: negative impact (z = -2.98, p= <.003), chronicity (z = -1.98, p= <.05), coherence dimensions (z = -2.04, p= <.05) and unpredictability z = -2.1, p = < .05). There were statistically significant differences between the groups in the IPQ subscale causes of my illness; the study group scored more highly on the items stress/worry, chance/bad luck, family factors, and overwork
Discussion: There were high rates of mood disorder, perceived stigma as a result of HIV and perceived high severity of HIV in this study in the sample as a whole. Participants with LDS were statistically significantly more anxious and depressed. IPQ scores also indicated that the study group differed statistically from the control group with regard to beliefs about negative consequences, chronicity of symptoms, coherence dimensions, unpredictability and number of symptoms experienced. The effect of LDS on mood and beliefs about the coping with symptoms will be discussed and these data will be considered in depth with regard to the psychological management of African people with LDS.
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