Subscribe
Cognitive-Behavioral TherapyHIV/AIDS

Quality of life and well-being in HIV patients

JR

Researchers from University of Zurich in Switzerland report that cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) improved both.

First, the details.

  • 104 HIV-infected persons were treated with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).
  • Each person had CD4 cell counts greater than 100 cells/mm3
  • They were randomly assigned to group sessions of CBSM lasting 2 hours every week or to standard medical care for 12 months.

And, the results.

  • 77 people completed the study.
  • The CBSM group showed significant benefits in quality of life scores, physical health, mental health, and depression compared to the standard medical care group.
  • No differences were found between groups in CD4 cell count and viral load.
  • There was no difference in drug adherence between the groups.

The bottom line?
As expected, the authors concluded, CBSM training of HIV-infected persons did not change the response to HIV/AIDS treatment. But, “cART has lasting effects on quality of life and psychological well-being.”

6/4/08 20:52 JR

Hi, I’m JR

John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

Related Posts