Mental Health Stressors of the COVID-19 Pandemic Negatively Affect Self-Management of Comorbid Cardiovascular Disease Among Persons Living With HIV in the United States: A Qualitative Study.
Ellen K Brinza, Christine Horvat Davey, Madeline McCabe and 7 others
PMID 40728218WHAT IT FOUND
In 24 adults living with HIV, hypertension and high cholesterol, worry and isolation were common, 14 reported worse mood, and distress was tied to poorer diet, activity and weight, but nearly all kept taking HIV and cardiovascular medicines.
Key findings
01Fourteen participants reported that the pandemic negatively affected their mood.
02Heightened depression or anxiety was linked to poorer heart-healthy behaviours, including unhealthy diet, weight gain and physical inactivity.
03Nearly all participants reported high adherence to HIV and cardiovascular medications, even when mood was affected.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study interviewed 24 people selected by convenience sampling, not a random or representative sample of people living with HIV. Most participants were male and Black, so the findings may not fit women living with HIV or other racial groups. Participants were already enrolled in a trial aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk, so they may have been more engaged in care than patients outside that trial. Mental health history was taken from charts and may have been underreported because of stigma. The interviews happened in October and November 2020, before vaccines and more treatments were available, so they may not reflect current experiences. The findings are self-reported experiences and themes, not measured clinical outcomes or tested interventions.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that pandemic-related distress did not affect HIV or cardiovascular self-management because adherence remained high. The study reports 24 patients' own experiences, not measured adherence or clinical outcomes, and the sample was small and already enrolled in a cardiovascular risk trial.