Abstract
This study aimed to determine the prevalence, intensity, associated factors, and effect
of pain among ambulatory HIV/AIDS patients. Three-hundred two adult ambulatory HIV/AIDS
patients were consecutively recruited from HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics at 2 teaching
hospitals in Uganda. The presence and intensity of pain were self-reported using the
Brief Pain Inventory (BPI); symptom data were collected using the Memorial Symptom
Assessment Scale (MSAS-SF); and quality of life (QOL) was assessed using the Medical
Outcome Scale-HIV. Forty-seven percent reported pain in the 7 days prior to the survey
and pain was a symptom at the time of diagnosis for 68%. On the 0 to 10 numeric scale,
53% reported mild pain (1–4 rating), 20% reported moderate pain (5–6 rating) while
27% reported severe pain (7–10 rating). Gender was not associated with pain intensity,
but reduced functional performance, increasing number of symptoms, advanced HIV disease
, physical symptom distress (MSAS-SF), and number of health comorbidities were significantly
associated with pain intensity (P < .04). Increasing pain intensity was associated with greater functional ability
impairment (BPI functional interference index) and poorer QOL. Pain is a common symptom
among ambulatory HIV/AIDS patients and has a debilitating effect on QOL. There is
a significant unmet need for pain relief in the population.
Perspective
This article discusses the characteristics and effect of pain on function and QOL
in East African patients. It also contributes information on characteristics of HIV/AIDS
adult patients in the East Africa demonstrating the aspects in which pain is similar
across different cultures.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
April 30,
2012
Received in revised form:
April 5,
2012
Received:
December 27,
2011
Footnotes
The authors declare that no funding sources were provided for this study and have no conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
