The implementation and evaluation of HIV symptom management guidelines: A preliminary study in China.
Zheng Zhu, Yan Hu, Hui-Wen Li and 5 others
PMID 31406842WHAT IT FOUND
HIV symptom severity and incidence did not differ significantly between groups, but quality of life rose more in the intervention group over 2 months.
The effect cannot be separated from bundled multidisciplinary care.
Key findings
01The guideline did not produce a significant difference in overall symptom severity or symptom incidence between groups.
02Quality of life increased significantly more in the intervention group than in the control group.
03The intervention was a bundled program delivered by physicians, nurses, physical therapists and health care workers during antiretroviral therapy, including assessment, symptomatic treatment, health education and psychological counselling.
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 not randomised, and the control group and intervention group were recruited in different time periods, so other changes over time could explain the results. Follow-up was only 2 months, which is short for a chronic HIV symptom management programme. It was done at one hospital in one city, so it may not apply elsewhere. 22 of 148 participants dropped out before the final survey, leaving 126 for analysis. Participants had relatively few symptoms at baseline, which can make it hard to detect further improvement. The intervention included many components and several professional groups, so the effect of any single element cannot be separated.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the quality-of-life result as proof that the guideline alone works. The symptom severity and incidence outcomes were not significant, and the intervention was delivered together with ongoing antiretroviral therapy by a multidisciplinary team that also provided education and counselling.