Symptom prevalence, burden and correlates among people living with HIV in Vietnam: a two-centre self-report study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Symptom prevalence, burden and correlates among people living with HIV in Vietnam

T2 - a two-centre self-report study

AU - Le Dai, Duong

AU - Pham, Thi Van Anh

AU - Bui, Thi Thanh Huyen

AU - Than, The Ngoc Ha

AU - Pham, Van Thuc

AU - Luong, Ngoc Khue

AU - Harding, Richard

AU - Krakauer, Eric L.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/6/16

Y1 - 2021/6/16

N2 - Physical and psychological symptoms among people living with HIV (PLWH) adversely affect quality of life and treatment adherence. Study objectives were: (i) to determine validity and reliability of a Vietnamese translation of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale–Short Form (MSAS-SF) among PLWH in Vietnam; (ii) to measure prevalence and burden of physical and psychological symptoms using the MSAS-SF including the Global Distress Index (GDI), Physical Distress subscale (PHYS), and Psychological Distress subscale (PSY); (iii) to identify symptom burden risk factors. We recruited 567 patients. Cronbach’s alpha scores were: total MSAS-SF 0.91, GDI 0.83, PHYS 0.85, PSYCH 0.81. The scale showed good discriminant validity (low vs high function) (p < 0.001). The mean number of symptoms was 7.66, and the most prevalent were “worrying” (41.6%), “lack of energy” (40.6%), “feeling irritable” (40.4%), and “feeling sad” (39.2%). Monthly income below the poverty line was independently associated with increased: GDI, PHYS, and PSY and a greater number of symptoms. The Vietnamese version of the MSAS-SF is valid to measure symptom prevalence and burden in HIV-positive populations. Here is a high symptom prevalence and burden among PLWH in Vietnam, especially those living in poverty, and a great need for palliative care integrated with HIV treatment.

AB - Physical and psychological symptoms among people living with HIV (PLWH) adversely affect quality of life and treatment adherence. Study objectives were: (i) to determine validity and reliability of a Vietnamese translation of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale–Short Form (MSAS-SF) among PLWH in Vietnam; (ii) to measure prevalence and burden of physical and psychological symptoms using the MSAS-SF including the Global Distress Index (GDI), Physical Distress subscale (PHYS), and Psychological Distress subscale (PSY); (iii) to identify symptom burden risk factors. We recruited 567 patients. Cronbach’s alpha scores were: total MSAS-SF 0.91, GDI 0.83, PHYS 0.85, PSYCH 0.81. The scale showed good discriminant validity (low vs high function) (p < 0.001). The mean number of symptoms was 7.66, and the most prevalent were “worrying” (41.6%), “lack of energy” (40.6%), “feeling irritable” (40.4%), and “feeling sad” (39.2%). Monthly income below the poverty line was independently associated with increased: GDI, PHYS, and PSY and a greater number of symptoms. The Vietnamese version of the MSAS-SF is valid to measure symptom prevalence and burden in HIV-positive populations. Here is a high symptom prevalence and burden among PLWH in Vietnam, especially those living in poverty, and a great need for palliative care integrated with HIV treatment.

KW - HIV

KW - pain

KW - symptoms

KW - Vietnam

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85107985621&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/09540121.2021.1922577

DO - 10.1080/09540121.2021.1922577

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85107985621

SN - 0954-0121

VL - 34

JO - AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV

JF - AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV

IS - 7

ER -