Dataset Information

Investigation into the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for people living with HIV.

ABSTRACT:

Background

People living with HIV (PLWH) report high levels of anxiety. This study assessed the prevalence of COVID-19-related anxiety in PLWH.

Methods

Participants were recruited from two UK HIV clinics (01/03/2020 - 30/05/2022) and asked to complete the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale. The proportion with scores ≥9 (cut-off for dysfunctional pandemic-related anxiety) and ≥1 (reporting of any pandemic-related anxiety) were analysed.

Results

115 PLWH were included, predominantly identifying as male (83.5%, n = 96), white (58.3%, n = 67) and reporting post-secondary education (82.6%, n = 95), with a median age of 51 years (range 22-93). Median CAS score was 0, with 4.4% scoring ≥9 (n = 5). More women scored ≥9 than men (16.7% (n = 3) and 2.1% (n = 2) respectively). Black African (13.6%, n = 3) and Other Ethnic Minority PLWH (25%, n = 2) had a greater proportion of scores ≥9 than White/Asian PLWH (both 0%). SARS-CoV-2 exposure was associated with scores greater than 1 but not greater than 9. CAS score was not associated with lower CD4 (<350 cells/mm³), detectable HIV viral load (≥50 copies/ml), or a history of pre-pandemic anxiety.

Conclusions

Pandemic-related anxiety was low, but we identified a sub-population reporting dysfunctional pandemic related anxiety. Future work should further investigate the psychological impact of the pandemic on this group.

SUBMITTER: Lo SWK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10240304 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Investigation into the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for people living with HIV.

Lo Sze Wing Karina SWK Muschialli Luke L Fernandez Thomas T Smith Colette C Peppa Dimitra D Burns Fiona F

International journal of STD & AIDS 20230603 11

<h4>Background</h4>People living with HIV (PLWH) report high levels of anxiety. This study assessed the prevalence of COVID-19-related anxiety in PLWH.<h4>Methods</h4>Participants were recruited from two UK HIV clinics (01/03/2020 - 30/05/2022) and asked to complete the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale. The proportion with scores ≥9 (cut-off for dysfunctional pandemic-related anxiety) and ≥1 (reporting of <i>any</i> pandemic-related anxiety) were analysed.<h4>Results</h4>115 PLWH were included, predomi ...[more]

PMID: 37269326

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Project description:Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has radically changed the world in a few weeks. Italy has been one of the first and most affected countries with more than 30,000 deaths up to now. Public health measures as quarantine or national lockdown are necessary to limit the spread of infectious diseases, but it is unsurprising that depriving people of their liberty has negative psychological effects. This is especially the case for people with chronic diseases, including neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS). People with MS (PwMS) have a higher burden of neuropsychiatric comorbidities and are known to undertake maladaptive coping strategies in stress conditions. The aim of the present study is to investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on mental health of an Italian cohort of PwMS in comparison with healthy controls (HCs). Methods: A total of 60 PwMS and 50 HCs (chosen among patients' cohabitants) were asked to answer a Web-based survey. This survey inquired about the impact of COVID-19 on patient's quality of life, job, and daily routine. Mood, fatigue, and sleep quality were evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), the Generalized Anxiety Disease 7 (GAD-7), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results: Overall, patients had higher scores of BDI, FSS, and PSQI, and these differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). When we looked at the subscores of the BDI, we detected a statistically significant difference for the neurovegetative part-that concerns with sleep, appetite, sex, and quality of sleep (p < 0.05). One out of five patients reported new symptoms or worsening of known symptom, in particular, sensory disturbances, and fatigue. However, no symptoms were severe enough to require hospitalization. When we looked for correlations among variables, we found that there was a significant relationship between unemployment and BDI total score, GAD-7, and PSQI in MS group. The presence of new symptoms or the worsening of symptoms positively related to FSS and to PSQI. Discussion: We identified that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic had a significant impact on the psychological status of patients with MS. Compared with the general population, PwMS presented a higher burden of depressive symptoms, a worse sleep quality and perceived an increase in fatigue level, one of the most disabling symptoms of MS. The COVID-19 epidemic poses a challenge to psychological resilience. More studies are warranted to better understand the long-term consequences of the pandemic on mental health of vulnerable people during the disease outbreaks.

Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted disabilities among people living with HIV; however, data on the association between COVID-19 pandemic-related healthcare disruptions and disabilities among people living with HIV is limited. We aimed to evaluate the association between COVID-19-affected HIV care behaviors and disability domains among people living with HIV in Belize. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Western Regional Hospital and Southern Regional Hospital between August and October 2021 among people living with HIV in Belize aged ≥ 21 years and on antiretroviral therapy. A self-reported questionnaire captured data on demographic and clinical characteristics (gender, age, ethnicity, marital status, employment, education, CD4 count, and viral load), COVID-19-affected HIV care behaviors, and disability across six domains (physical, cognitive, and mental-emotional symptoms and impairments; uncertainty; difficulties carrying out day-to-day activities; and social inclusion challenges) using the Short-Form HIV Disability Questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to analyze the data. Of the 489 participants, 276 (56.4%) were women and 213 (43.6%) were men. After adjusting for covariates, (age, gender, employment, CD4 count, viral load, COVID-19-affected HIV care behaviours), our results showed that people living with HIV, whose HIV care behaviors were greatly affected by COVID-19, were more likely to have disabilities across various domains: physical (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.61, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-2.41, p = 0.018), cognitive (AOR: 2.49, 95% CI: 1.58-3.94, p < 0.001), uncertainty (AOR: 2.94, 95% CI: 1.68-5.12, p < 0.001), difficulties carrying out day-to-day activities (AOR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.06-2.69, p = 0.027), and social inclusion challenges (AOR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.27-2.81, p = 0.002). Mitigating disruptions in care behaviors through the implementation of more accessible and comprehensive healthcare services may potentially address the multifaceted nature of HIV disabilities.

Dataset Information

Investigation into the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for people living with HIV.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Investigation into the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for people living with HIV.

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