Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #103632

Constance R. Uphold, PhD, ARNP, FAAN¹, Y. Zheng, MSN¹, Jacob Van den Berg, MS², Huanguang Jia, PhD¹, Samuel Wu, PhD³, W. Bruce Vogel, PhD⁴, and Pamela W. Duncan, PhD¹. (1) Rehabilitation Outcomes Research Center, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, 1601 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608, (2) Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 212 Psychology Building, Post Office Box 112250, Gainesville, FL 32611-2250, (352) 392-0601 ext 260, jacobv@ufl.edu, (3) Department of Statistics, University of Florida, Box 100212, Gainesville, FL 32610-0212, (4) Health Policy and Epidemiology, University of Florida, PO Box 100177, Gainesville, FL 32610

Background: Little is known about health promotion during HIVAIDS. The objective was to determine whether lifestyle choices (health-promoting, risk behaviors) among men with HIV infection are associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL), immune status, and viral loads over time. Methods: Men attending three clinics (N=226) completed questionnaires at baseline and 12-months. Blood specimens (CD4+ T-cells, naïve T-cells, memory T-cells, viral loads) were analyzed every 4 months. Mixed linear models with repeated measures examined the effects of lifestyle choices at baseline on each outcome, after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, and comorbidity. Results: About half of the men (n = 120) were tobacco users, whereas 54 (24%) and 66 men (29%) were hazardous drinkers and drug users, respectively. Baseline health-promoting behaviors were positively associated with HRQOL outcomes (physical health, mental health, overall quality of life) at each time point (p<0.0001). Hazardous alcohol drinkers had lower physical health and overall HRQOL (p<0.05) only at baseline. Hazardous drinkers' viral loads increased over time, whereas nondrinkers' viral loads decreased (p<0.05). Recreational drug and tobacco use were not associated with outcomes. Naïve T-cells and HRQOL outcomes increased over time (p<0.05). Conclusion: Health-promoting behaviors were associated with improvements in HQROL over time. Hazardous alcohol drinking, but not tobacco or drug use, was associated with outcomes. Relatively straight forward interventions such as behavioral counseling to improve lifestyle choices may positively impact HRQOL. Over 12 months, HQROL and naïve T-cells increased, which offers hope to patients of a potential upward trend in the HIV disease trajectory.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the predictive relationships between healthy lifestyle choices and outcomes during chronic disease identified in previous research.
• Articulate the theoretical background of health promotion during HIV/AIDS.
• Apply the findings of positive relationships between healthy lifestyle choices and outcomes to develop interventions to improve health care of HIV/AIDS patients.

Keywords: Health Behavior, Quality of Life

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.