Intensified thinking: Implications for health related quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS

Abstract

The scourge of HIV/AIDS is high in developing regions of the world especially Africanwhere many victims live daily with the distress and trauma associated with living with the disease. Health policies and research are increasingly interested in improving the living experience and quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). There is evidence that beyond physical ailments, thinking patterns could influence health outcomes. In this study we considered if intensively focusing/thinking on HIV/AIDS diagnosis will predict health related quality of life (HRQoL) Patients (N = 201) receiving anti-retroviral treatment from the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu completed measures of event centrality and HRQoL. We analysed for the associations with 4 different dimensions of HRQoL (physical, relationship, cognitive and treatment impact). We found that focusing thoughts on HIV/AIDS diagnosis was negatively associated with the cognitive aspects of HRQoL, as well as social relationships and treatment impact aspects of HRQoL. Furthermore, results showed that intensified thoughts regarding HIV/AIDS diagnosis negatively predicted relationship and cognitive dimensions of HRQoL. Hence this study provides evidence that intensified thinking about HIV/AIDS diagnosis is associated with poorer relationship and cognitive health outcomes.