NEW RESEARCH POINTS TO “QUALITY OF LIFE” AS KEY TREATMENT MEASURE FOR AUSTRALIANS LIVING WITH HIV

01 December 2021, Sydney Australia: Holistic care that incorporates patient preferences and concerns into treatment-related decisions can help improve quality of life measures for people living with HIV (PLHIV), according to a new paper published in Population Medicine¹.

While much attention is given to clinically oriented treatment goals (ie, increasing the percentages of PLHIV diagnosed, on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and virally suppressed) the authors of the new paper argue that quality of life should be an important overall focus of treatment.

According to co-author Dr Fraser Drummond, Medical Director at ViiV Healthcare Australia, quality care for people with HIV can no longer be limited to a focus on viral suppression, but should be broadened to consider how care can help the community thrive and improve quality of life.

Data from the 120 Australian participants of the Positive Perspectives 2 global survey of 2,389 PLHIV from 25 countries, conducted by ViiV Healthcare in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary Steering Committee, confirms the unmet needs amongst Australian patients.

“Around one in three respondents reported suboptimal mental health (35%, 42/120) and 42% (51/120) still identify gaps in their HIV management. Some members of the HIV community have concerns about the increasing number of medicines they take as they age – especially those who are already being prescribed a number of medications,” said Dr Drummond.

One of the most important findings was that those who are informed and involved in their care reported better health outcomes than those who are less engaged.

“The vast majority of the people who were engaged in their treatment and involved in decisions said their personal needs were being met by their provider (94%, 86/91) compared to just half (53%, 10/19) for those who were less engaged (p=0.012). So the partnership with healthcare providers as well as a broader focus on personal needs and quality of life are the key features of treatment that may help to deliver better outcomes in the future,” said Dr Drummond.

Note to editors: ViiV Healthcare is convening a community Livestream event that focuses on quality of life for people living with HIV, “Quality of Life for People with HIV: Rediscovering what matters” at 12pm on Thursday 2^nd December.

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