Identifying subtypes of HIV/AIDS-related symptoms in China using latent profile analysis and symptom networks

Abstract

The identification of subgroups of people living with HIV in China based on the severity of symptom clusters and individual symptoms is crucial to determine group-specific symptom management strategies. Participants reported 27 highly prevalent HIV/AIDS-related symptoms. Latent profile analysis based on symptom severity was used to identify person-centered subtypes of HIV/AIDS-related symptoms. Symptom networks were compared among subgroups identified by latent profile analysis. A total of 2927 eligible people living with HIV (PWH) were included in the analysis. Five profiles were identified: “Profile 1: all low symptom severity” (n2 = 2094, 71.54%), “Profile 2: medium symptom severity with syndemic conditions” (n3 = 109, 3.72%), “Profile 3: medium symptom severity with low functional status” (n1 = 165, 5.64%), “Profile 4: medium symptom severity in transitional period” (n4 = 448, 15.31%), and “Profile 5: all high symptom severity” (n5 = 111, 3.79%). Except for Profile 1 and Profile 5, the symptom severity was similar among the other three profiles. Profiles 1 (2.09 ± 0.52) and 4 (2.44 ± 0.66) had the smallest ∑s values, and Profiles 2 (4.38 ± 1.40) and 5 (4.39 ± 1.22) had the largest ∑s values. Our study demonstrates the need for health care professionals to provide PWH with group-specific symptom management interventions based on five profiles to improve their physical and psychological well-being. Future studies should be conducted in different contexts using different symptom checklists to further validate our results.

Profiles of subjective well-being among people living with HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…However, the event, by virtue of its scale and duration, also initiated a socially shared chronic stress. It was therefore interesting that within the same clinical sample in the similar context of uncontrollable external circumstances, we observed two such contrasting profiles, i.e., flourishing versus languishing [ 47 ] , which is another argument for PLWH being a heterogeneous patient group with regard to adaptation not only to HIV infection but also in terms of general functioning [ 19 , 20 ].…”

“…Many studies have found that this latter tendency is a derivative of still existing, strong stigmatization of PLWH (see these meta-analyses: [ 16 , 17 ]). At the same time, several authors have observed that PLWH are also a heterogeneous patient group with respect to coping and adapting to their illness [ 18 – 20 ]. Specifically, although they share the same medical diagnosis (i.e., HIV infection), PLWH display different trajectories in their psychological functioning over time (e.g., [ 21 , 22 ]).…”