The Impact of Symptoms Multidimensionality, Social Support, and Self-Efficacy on Quality of Life in People Living With HIV Based on the Least Absolute Shrinkage Selection Operator Algorithm: A Cross-Sectional Study in China.
Meilian Xie, Aiping Wang, Yiwei Hao
PMID 41439645WHAT IT FOUND
Among 568 adults with HIV in China, higher symptom severity and distress, especially cognitive and psychological symptoms, were linked to lower quality of life; confidence managing chronic disease and perceived social support were linked to better quality of life.
Key findings
01The final model linked 12 variables to quality of life, including symptom severity and distress, number of symptoms, social support, self-efficacy, comorbidities, acute stage, family size of 1 person, student employment, and race.
02Higher physical symptom severity, physical symptom distress, cognitive symptom distress, psychological symptom severity, and more symptoms were associated with lower quality of life.
03Higher self-efficacy and social support were associated with higher quality of life, and the self-efficacy association was strongest when the score exceeded 55.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it can show links between symptoms, support, confidence, and quality of life at one time, but it cannot show that any factor caused better or worse quality of life. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling from referral HIV clinics, and the authors note this may have included people with better living conditions, which could overestimate quality of life and self-efficacy. The survey was online and required mobile phones or tablets, so people without internet access or technical skills may have been excluded. The authors say some potentially relevant factors could not be included because of practical constraints. Results come from Chinese adults attending HIV clinics in seven provinces or municipalities, so they may not apply to other health systems or populations.
Declared interests
The authors report no real or perceived vested interests related to this article. No specific funding was received.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that raising self-efficacy or social support will improve quality of life. This was a cross-sectional survey, so it only shows these factors were linked to quality of life at one time, not that changing them causes improvement.