Predictors of Daily Life Functioning in HIV-Infected Individuals

Daily life functioning refers to the skills needed to independently perform day to day routines and deficits of daily life functioning common among people living with HIV. This study aimed to investigate the role of immunologic, virologic, cognitive functioning, and demographic variables to predict daily life function in HIV-infected individuals.

We recruited 67 HIV-positive individuals who were under the treatment of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) in Imam Khomeini hospital, Tehran, Iran, in 2016. Prospective-retrospective memory questionnaire (PRMQ), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living interview (IADLs), and flow cytometry test to assess CD4 count were used. The data were analyzed with stepwise regression analysis using SPSS-22 software.

The results of stepwise regression analysis showed that the prospective/retrospective memory complaints are predictive of daily functioning in people living with HIV (p<0.001, F (1,42) =26.86, R2 adj=0.381). Our results also indicated that CD4 cell count, viral load, age, gender, and education do not predict instrumental activities of daily living scores among HIV-infected individuals (p>0.05).

Future studies should focus on the effects of prospective/retrospective memory rehabilitation to improve the daily function of HIV-infected individuals. Future studies should also focus on the mediating role of muscle mass decreases between the association of daily life functioning with CD4 and viral load.