Informing Adults With HIV of Cognitive Performance Deficits Indicative of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder: A Content Analysis.
David E Vance, Michael Jensen, Frida Tende and 5 others
PMID 31437282WHAT IT FOUND
Most adults with HIV told their test scores suggested cognitive problems already suspected them and wanted to improve; fewer were surprised, anxious, or sad.
This describes reactions to feedback, not treatment effects.
Key findings
0157.65% of participants said the feedback confirmed what they already suspected about their cognition.
02When asked about concerns, 50.59% wanted to improve their cognition and 12.94% sought information on how to improve.
0322.35% reported surprise, 14.12% reported anxiety, and 3.53% reported sadness after hearing the feedback.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Participants were interviewed 6 to 8 weeks after receiving the letter, so reactions were recalled rather than immediate. The study did not ask people who were told they did not have HAND, so it cannot compare reactions across feedback groups. Participants were told their cognitive status as a research trial criterion, and the letter said the result was not a clinical diagnosis, so reactions may not match routine clinical disclosure. The sample was adults with HIV who met HAND criteria, mostly African American men, so the themes may not apply to other populations. 56.47% had a depression score of 16 or higher, which may shape emotional reactions.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that telling patients about HAND improves cognition or that all patients will react the same. This was a qualitative report of reactions to feedback, not a treatment trial, and it did not ask people who did not have HAND.