TY - JOUR
T1 - Combination antiretroviral therapy and improvements in mental health
T2 - Results from a nationally representative sample of persons undergoing care for HIV in the United States
AU - Chan, Kitty S.
AU - Orlando, Maria
AU - Joyce, Geoffrey
AU - Gifford, Allen L.
AU - Burnam, M. Audrey
AU - Tucker, Joan S.
AU - Sherbourne, Cathy D.
PY - 2003/5/1
Y1 - 2003/5/1
N2 - Objective: To test whether mental health improvements observed in a nationally representative sample of 2466 HIV+ persons receiving care in the United States during the dissemination of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a result of global optimism or directly related to treatment. Analysis: Data were analyzed by means of a linear regression model of the change in psychiatric symptoms from baseline (January 1996-April 1997) to the first follow-up interview approximately 8 months later as a function of changes in CD4+ counts, opportunistic infection treatments, and HIV physical symptoms in the overall sample and separately in participants who maintained ART, initiated ART, never received ART, or transitioned to a less recommended regimen during the study period. Results: The reduction in psychiatric symptoms was comparable across all treatment groups (p > .05), suggesting a global effect. In patients who initiated or maintained ART, fewer psychiatric symptoms were significantly related to higher CD4+ and fewer opportunistic infection treatments and HIV symptoms, however, suggesting a treatment effect. Conclusion: ART appears to be responsible for both a treatment-specific and global improvement in the mental health of HIV+ patients, possibly through the promise of extended survival and a better quality of life.
AB - Objective: To test whether mental health improvements observed in a nationally representative sample of 2466 HIV+ persons receiving care in the United States during the dissemination of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a result of global optimism or directly related to treatment. Analysis: Data were analyzed by means of a linear regression model of the change in psychiatric symptoms from baseline (January 1996-April 1997) to the first follow-up interview approximately 8 months later as a function of changes in CD4+ counts, opportunistic infection treatments, and HIV physical symptoms in the overall sample and separately in participants who maintained ART, initiated ART, never received ART, or transitioned to a less recommended regimen during the study period. Results: The reduction in psychiatric symptoms was comparable across all treatment groups (p > .05), suggesting a global effect. In patients who initiated or maintained ART, fewer psychiatric symptoms were significantly related to higher CD4+ and fewer opportunistic infection treatments and HIV symptoms, however, suggesting a treatment effect. Conclusion: ART appears to be responsible for both a treatment-specific and global improvement in the mental health of HIV+ patients, possibly through the promise of extended survival and a better quality of life.
KW - AIDS
KW - Antiretroviral therapy
KW - HIV
KW - Mental health
KW - Protease inhibitors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037696566&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0037696566&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/00126334-200305010-00015
DO - 10.1097/00126334-200305010-00015
M3 - Article
C2 - 12792362
AN - SCOPUS:0037696566
SN - 1525-4135
VL - 33
SP - 104
EP - 111
JO - Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
JF - Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
IS - 1
ER -