Physical Activities and Associated Factors Among HIV/AIDS Patients: A Questionnaire Survey

Abstract

Purpose: Regular physical activity is essential for maintaining health and improving people's overall quality of life living with HIV; improving metabolic side effects associated with taking highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). This study investigated physical activity levels and associated factors among HIV/AIDS patients.

Patients and methods: A single-center, cross-sectional study was conducted from July to September 2021. A convenience sample of 377 HIV/AIDS patients was recruited from a medical center in Zhuhai, China. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires and patients' medical records.

Results: The average physical activity of HIV/AIDS patients was 1007.15±868.63 met-min/w; 53.8% of patients expressed medium-level activity, and 46.2% in low-level activity. Log-link gamma generalized linear model results showed that gender, T-CD4⁺ at the latest visit, self-efficacy, and perceived barriers were significant predictors of assessing physical activity levels.

Conclusion: Nearly half of HIV/AIDS patients have low levels of physical activity. In particular, women and patients with lower CD4 cells, lower self-efficacy, and more perceived barriers had lower levels of physical activity. More knowledge is needed on the causes of physical inactivity among people with HIV, and physical activity programs need to be developed for people living with HIV in developing countries.

Keywords: AIDS; HIV; acquired immune deficiency syndrome; exercise; human immunodeficiency virus; physical activity.

Figure 1

Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for the gender, T-CD4⁺ at latest visit, self-efficacy, and perceived barriers in the physical activity levels of HIV/AIDS patients.