Prevalence, self-care behaviors, and self-care activities for peripheral neuropathy symptoms of HIV/AIDS

Nurs Health Sci. 2010 Mar;12(1):119-26. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-2018.2009.00505.x.

Abstract

As part of a larger randomized controlled trial examining the efficacy of an HIV/AIDS symptom management manual (n = 775), this study examined the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in HIV-infected individuals at 12 sites in the USA, Puerto Rico, and Africa. Neuropathy was reported by 44% of the sample; however, only 29.4% reported initiating self-care behaviors to address the neuropathy symptoms. Antiretroviral therapy was found to increase the frequency of neuropathy symptoms, with an increased mean intensity of 28%. A principal axis factor analysis with Promax rotation was used to assess the relationships in the frequency of use of the 18 self-care activities for neuropathy, revealing three distinct factors: (i) an interactive self-care factor; (ii) a complementary medicine factor; and (iii) a third factor consisting of the negative health items of smoking, alcohol, and street drugs. The study's results suggest that peripheral neuropathy is a common symptom and the presence of neuropathy is associated with self-care behaviors to ameliorate HIV symptoms. The implications for nursing practice include the assessment and evaluation of nursing interventions related to management strategies for neuropathy.

MeSH terms

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / complications
  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / methods
  • Cohort Studies
  • Complementary Therapies
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • Health Behavior*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pain Measurement
  • Patient Compliance / statistics & numerical data*
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / etiology
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / therapy*
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk-Taking
  • Self Care / standards*
  • Self Care / trends
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Sex Distribution
  • United States
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Analgesics