Browsing by Author "Muwanika, Fred Roland"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Pain Among Ambulatory HIV/AIDS Patients: Multicenter Study of Prevalence, Intensity, Associated Factors, and Effect
    (The Journal of Pain, 2012) Namisango, Eve; Harding, Richard; Atuhaire, Leonard; Ddungu, Henry; Katabira, Elly; Muwanika, Fred Roland; Powell, Richard A.
    This study aimed to determine the prevalence, intensity, associated factors, and effect of pain among ambulatory HIV/AIDS patients. Three-hundred two adult ambulatory HIV/AIDS patients were consecutively recruited from HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics at 2 teaching hospitals in Uganda. The presence and intensity of pain were self-reported using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI); symptom data were collected using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS-SF); and quality of life (QOL) was assessed using the Medical Outcome Scale-HIV. Forty-seven percent reported pain in the 7 days prior to the survey and pain was a symptom at the time of diagnosis for 68%. On the 0 to 10 numeric scale, 53% reported mild pain (1–4 rating), 20% reported moderate pain (5–6 rating) while 27% reported severe pain (7–10 rating). Gender was not associated with pain intensity, but reduced functional performance, increasing number of symptoms, advanced HIV disease , physical symptom distress (MSAS-SF), and number of health comorbidities were significantly associated with pain intensity (P < .04). Increasing pain intensity was associated with greater functional ability impairment (BPI functional interference index) and poorer QOL. Pain is a common symptom among ambulatory HIV/AIDS patients and has a debilitating effect on QOL. There is a significant unmet need for pain relief in the population.