Promoting Health and Well-being in Lives of People Living with HIV and AIDS

Abstract

The highly effective pharmaceutical polytherapies for the treatment of HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome) have practically reduced HIV and AIDS to a chronic condition like any other chronic illness. People living with HIV andAIDS can now have an almost normal life expectancy; the challenge for them is to live a physically and mentally healthy life. These challenges involve avoiding and managing opportunistic infections physically on one hand and taking care of their mental health needs and promoting and sustaining psycho-social well-being on the other hand. Although a torrent of research has studied the psychosocial correlates of slower disease progression and psycho-social well-being among people living with HIV and AIDS, very few sustained approaches have been made to understand and isolate the contribution of different psycho-bio-behavioural parameters for the psycho-immuno-enhancement in people living with HIV and AIDS. Systematic search in different electronic databases as well as different relevant psychological and AIDS care journals have been done to assimilate and review the research studying the effect of different psycho-social, bio-behavioural interventions through randomised control trials on the health promotion, well-being and disease progression parameters in people living with HIV and AIDS. The article makes an attempt to synchronise and consolidate these research efforts, discussing the role of cognitive behavioural stress management, exercise, spiritual practices, hypnosis, relaxation and guided imagery, social support for the psycho-immunoenhancement in lives of people living with HIV and AIDS, and suggests a comprehensive threetier intervention model, consisting of intervention at individual, dyadic and community levels, for psychological and immunological improvement in lives of people living with HIV and AIDS.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Physical Exercise Interventions in Persons Living With HIV: Overview of Systematic Reviews

“…In situations of duplicate studies ( n = 5), the older studies (Nixon, O’Brien, Glazier, & Tynan, 2002, 2005; O’Brien, Nixon, Glazier, & Tynan, 2004; O’Brien, Nixon, Tynan, & Glazier, 2004, 2006) were excluded. An additional six reviews were excluded since all (Baril et al, 2005; Biswas, 2007; Guaraldi, Stentarelli, & Faluz, 2013; London & Manjra, 2011; Young & Busgeeth, 2010) or nearly all primary studies (Keithley & Swanson, 2013) were shared across the systematic reviews. Thus, five systematic reviews (Dudgeon, Phillips, Bopp, & Hand, 2004; Fillipas et al, 2010; Gomes Neto, Ogalha, Andrade, & Brites, 2013; O’Brien et al, 2008, 2010) were included in this overview of systematic reviews (Table 1)…”

Common elements in self-management of HIV and other chronic illnesses: an integrative framework

“…Research on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques (Biswas, 2007; Crepaz et al, 2008) and stress management interventions (Scott-Sheldon, Kalichman, Carey, & Fielder, 2008) focused on self-management, and demonstrated positive effects on stress, emotional symptoms, and quality of life. A peer-led self-management program in San Francisco reduced symptom severity and increased stress-management behaviors (Gifford, Laurent, Gonzales, Chesney, & Lorig, 1998).…”

From Conceptualizing to Measuring HIV Stigma: A Review of HIV Stigma Mechanism Measures

“…Infection rates are soaring throughout the world [60], affecting new societies of people. New treatments are extending the life expectancies of PLWHA [61, 62]. Attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and PLWHA continue to shift [43].…”