Barcelona 2013
Menu
AIDSImpact.com
Conference Details
Authors
International Committee
Plenary Speakers
Presenting Speakers
Programme
Sessions
Scientific Committee
Acknowledgements
| Abstract #94 - Co-infection | ||||
|
Session: 8.1: Co-infection (Parallel) on Monday @ 11.00-13.00 in Mirador Chaired by Authors: Presenting Author: Dr. Marco Pereira - University of Coimbra, Portugal |
||||
| Additional Authors: Dr Jordi Casabona, Sra Cristina Sanclemente, Dra Anna Esteve, Dra Victoria Gonzalez, y Grupo HIVITS-TS, | ||||
| Aim: Mental health needs of patients co-infected with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are increasingly being addressed in medical settings. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and severity of emotional distress in a sample of HIV/HCV co-infected and HIV mono-infected patients, and to examine its sociodemographic, clinical and psychosocial correlates. | ||||
| Method / Issue: The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and the Portuguese version of the quality of life instrument WHOQOL-HIV-Bref were administered to a sample of 248 HIV/HCV co-infected patients and 482 HIV mono-infected patients with no co-infections or other comorbidities. | ||||
| Results / Comments: Compared to patients infected with HIV only, HIV/HCV co-infected patients were more likely to be male, younger, single, unemployed or not currently working, to have lower CD4+ T cell count, and to be infected through IDU. Thirty-nine (15.9%) HIV/HCV co-infected patients reported higher global severity index (GSI) T-scores compared to HIV mono-infected patients (11.6%). HIV/HCV co-infected patients reported significantly higher scores in eight of nine dimensions of psychopathology (the exception was phobic anxiety). The larger differences were found on somatization (p < .001), hostility (p < .01), paranoid ideation (p < .01), anxiety (p < .01) and in the GSI (p < .001). Among HIV/HCV co-infected patients not being on HAART and lower scores on psychological and spiritual dimensions were significantly associated with higher emotional distress and accounted for 51.9% of the total variance. Among HIV mono-infected patients, older age, being diagnosed for longer time and lower scores on psychological and spiritual dimensions explained 45.8% of the total variance of emotional distress. | ||||
| Discussion: Our data suggest that co-infection with HCV may have an adverse effect on mental health, and underscore the complex interplay of demographic, clinical and psychological variables on emotional distress. This understanding is critical as facilitates the continuous development of care and treatment plans. In addition, these findings also reinforce the need for tailored interventions to improve overall well-being of both HIV and HIV/HCV co-infected patients. | ||||
| Go Back | ||||