Symptom Management in HIV-Infected Populations
Summary
Symptom management in people living with HIV encompasses the assessment and alleviation of a broad spectrum of physical, psychological and social burdens that persist despite virological control. Common manifestations include pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, peripheral neuropathy and mood disorders, often presenting in clusters that exacerbate overall distress. Effective management demands a holistic, person-centred approach integrating pharmacological measures—such as optimisation of antiretroviral therapy regimens and adjuvant analgesics—with non-pharmacological strategies including counselling, peer support and rehabilitative interventions. In low- and middle-income settings, challenges such as limited access to pain-relieving opioids, shortages of trained staff and socioeconomic hardship compound symptom burden. Technological innovations, notably mobile health platforms and telemedicine, are increasingly harnessed to enhance self-management, monitor symptom trajectories and facilitate timely clinical feedback. Globally, the emphasis has shifted from mere survival towards quality of life, underscoring the need for integrated palliative care principles throughout the HIV care continuum. Collaborative models that involve community health workers, digital tools and multidisciplinary teams have shown promise in tailoring interventions to individual needs, promoting adherence to therapy and mitigating long-term morbidity.
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Symptom Management in HIV-Infected Populations publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in symptom management in hiv-infected populations across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Antiretroviral therapy (ART): Combination drug regimens that suppress HIV replication and reduce symptom burden.
Symptom cluster: Two or more concurrent symptoms that interact and share common underlying mechanisms, amplifying overall distress.
mHealth (mobile health): The use of mobile devices and applications to deliver health services, monitor clinical status and support self-management.
Palliative care: A holistic approach aimed at preventing and relieving suffering across physical, psychological, social and spiritual domains.
References
- A community health worker and mobile health app intervention to improve adherence to HIV medication among persons with HIV: the CHAMPS study protocol. BMC Public Health (2023).
- The Development of a Personalized Symptom Management Mobile Health Application for Persons Living with HIV in China. Journal of Personalized Medicine (2021).
- Exploring core mental health symptoms among persons living with HIV: A network analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023).
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