J Holist Nurs. 2003 Jun; 21(2): 163-78.

A behavioral-medicine program in HIV. Implications for quality of life.

Nicholas PK, Corless IB, Webster A, McGibbon CA, Davis SM, Dolan SE, Paul-Simon A.

MGH Institute of Health Professions, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

The purpose of this descriptive study is to examine quality of life issues in participants in a behavioral-medicine group (N = 24). Of the sample, 60% indicated current use of complementary therapies. Sexual functioning, a subscale of the quality-of-life measure, was positively correlated with length of time with HIV. CD4+ lymphocyte counts were not significantly correlated with quality of life (QOL). Viral load (VL) was positively correlated with the social-support subscale of the QOL scale. Use of body therapies (massage, acupuncture) was associated with social functioning and use of nutritional therapies was associated with mental health. Results of the study indicate that clinical interventions, including behavioral-medicine interventions and complementary therapies for persons with HIV/AIDS, can result in greater QOL.