Predictors and Correlates of Fatigue in HIV/AIDS

Abstract

Variation in the intensity of fatigue according to selected demographic, cultural, and health/illness variables was explored in 372 patients with HIV/AIDS, and the contribution of fatigue to physical and mental health in this population was investigated within the UCSF Symptom Management Model (UCSF-SMM). The sample included 73% African Americans and 63% males. Moderate to severe fatigue intensity was reported by 58% of the total sample. Women, Hispanics, the disabled and those with inadequate income or insurance reported higher fatigue intensity scores. Two hierarchical regression models explored the contributions of fatigue to physical and mental health. Fatigue contributed 2% to the total variance (37.4%) in physical health, but did not contribute as an independent predictor of the total variance (23.2%) in mental health. The results of this study imply the need for further gender and ethnic-specific fatigue research, as well as symptom cluster research.

A 7-item version of the fatigue severity scale has better psychometric properties among HIV-infected adults: an application of a Rasch model

“…Studies of physiological correlates of fatigue report conflicting findings about relationships between fatigue and CD4? T-cell count [12,13] or viral load [6,7,11,14,15].…”

Demographic and Illness-Related Variables Associated With HIV-Related Fatigue

“…Fatigue is the most frequent and debilitating complaint of HIV-positive people, with prevalence rates of up to 98% in studies of seropositive individuals (e.g., Anandan, Braveman, Kielhofner, & Forsyth, 2006;Breitbart, McDonald, Rosenfeld, Monkman, & Passik, 1998;Coleman et al, 2006;Duran et al, 2001;Fontaine, Larue, & Lassauniere, 1999;Henderson, Safa, Easterbrook, & Hotopf, 2005;Molassiotis, Callaghan, Twinn, & Lam, 2001;Norval, 2004;Simmonds, Novy, & Sandoval, 2005;Sullivan, Dworkin, & the Adult and Adolescent Spectrum of HIV Disease Investigators, 2003;Vogl et al, 1999;Voss, 2002Voss, , 2005. The consequences of fatigue include having to stop working, limiting one's involvement with family and friends, being unable to manage one's finances, and needing an entire day to get through the simplest of household chores (Anandan et al, 2006;Barroso, 2001;Jenkin, Koch, & Kralik, 2006).…”

“…With regard to demographic and illness-related variables in studies of HIV-infected individuals, higher fatigue intensity has been reported in women, Hispanics, disabled subjects, those with a lower income, and those with no health insurance (Voss, 2005). Intravenous (IV) Phone (Harmon): 919.681.4846, FAX (Harmon): 919.681.8899, Email: harmo002@mc.duke.edu.…”

Chronicity and Remission of Fatigue in Patients with Established HIV Infection

“…Estimates of the prevalence of fatigue in HIV-positive individuals when measured by self-report generally range from 55% to 65%, with similar estimates reported both before and since the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy. [1][2][3][4][5] While some develop fatigue early in HIV infection, others develop fatigue with disease progression. 6 The consequences of fatigue include having to stop working, limiting one's involvement with family and friends, being unable to manage one's finances, and needing an entire day to get through the simplest of household chores.…”