Abstract:
The purposes of this study were to describe symptom experiences, (perception of
symptoms, symptom severity), symptom management strategies and symptom outcomes
of persons with HIV/AIDS. The model of symptom management revised by Dodd, et al.
(2001) was applied as the conceptual framework of the study. The samples consisted of
100 persons with HIV/AIDS who were recruited by purposive sampling from infectious
disease clinics of one general hospital, one private hospital, and two community hospitals
in Chainat Province, from January to April, 2003. A structured interview was used to
collect the data. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics.
Results revealed that the majority of the sample were females and had an age
ranging from 20 to 57 years. Skin itching (83%), feverishness (73%), fatigue (71%),
headache (69%), shortness of breath (60%) were described frequently. The symptoms
were evaluated as most severe were weight loss (31%), headache (30%), feverishness
(28%), shortness of breath (28%), and skin itching (27%), respectively. Numbness of
extremities (14%) and diarrhea (12%) were evaluated as not severe. The management
strategies of HIV/AIDS used a variety of approaches. The effective management of skin
itching was scratching (83.13%) however, skin itching was made worse (63.77%),
followed by avoiding things made itching worse (68.67%) with improved symptom
outcomes (87.71%). Most of the participants used rest and sleep to manage feverishness
(72.60%), fatigue (77.46%), headache (78.26%), and shortness of breath (83.33%).
Moreover, most of them evaluated symptom outcomes as improved (69.86%, 89.09%,
89.1%, 94.44%, and 98%, respectively.) In contrast, some participants used exercise to
control fatigue (57.75%), loss of appetite (21.05%), headache (4.35%),and nausea (1.75%).
They used both conventional and alternative therapies to manage their symptoms.
Prescribed medication (67.46%, improved 91.07%) was used to manage skin itching, whereas
(24.10%) used herbs (improved 75%). With headache, the participants took prescribed
medications (53.62%, improved 89.19%), and used massage (31.88%, improved 90.90%).
These results will help nurses better understand pharmacological and nonpharmacological
strategies of symptom management of persons with HIV/AIDS.
Some symptom management strategies still lack scientific rationale and participants
using them are in need of further education. At the same time, some of those
interventions were perceived to have had positive outcomes. Consequently, there is a
need to test the efficacy of those interventions