HIV-Related Disability and Health Outcomes

Advances in antiretroviral therapy have transformed HIV from a terminal illness to a chronic condition, yet this success has unveiled a spectrum of HIV-related disabilities. These disabilities arise from the direct effects of the virus, long-term antiretroviral use and age-related comorbidities, and may include physical impairments, cognitive difficulties, mental health challenges and social participation restrictions. Many of these health challenges are episodic, fluctuating in severity and duration, and shaped by personal resilience, social support and stigma. The World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health provides a framework that emphasises how bodily functions, daily activities and participation are influenced by environmental and personal contexts. Understanding HIV-related disability and its impact on quality of life is critical to designing inclusive health services, tailoring rehabilitation interventions and informing public health policies worldwide. Integrating disability-inclusive approaches into HIV programmes can enhance adherence, reduce disparities in testing and treatment and support long-term wellbeing for people living with HIV.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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HIV-Related Disability and Health Outcomes publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in hiv-related disability and health outcomes across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Episodic disability: Fluctuating episodes of health challenges in HIV, marked by periods of wellness interrupted by impairments.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART): Combination drug regimens that suppress HIV replication and transform it into a manageable chronic condition.

Care cascade: Sequential stages of HIV care from diagnosis, linkage to treatment, adherence and achievement of viral suppression.

Viral load suppression: Reduction of HIV RNA in the blood to undetectable levels, indicating effective ART.

International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF): WHO framework that describes health and disability in terms of body functions, activities, participation and contextual factors.

References

1. HIV knowledge and access to testing for people with and without disabilities in low‐ and middle‐income countries: evidence from 37 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Journal of the International AIDS Society (2024).
2. Differences between persons with and without disability in HIV prevalence, testing, treatment, and care cascade in Tanzania: a cross-sectional study using population-based data. BMC Public Health (2023).
3. The increasing chronicity of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: Re-thinking "HIV as a long-wave event" in the era of widespread access to ART. Globalization and Health (2011).
4. Putting episodic disability into context: a qualitative study exploring factors that influence disability experienced by adults living with HIV/AIDS. Journal of the International AIDS Society (2009).