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Subjective Cognitive Complaints: Predictors and Health Outcomes in People Living with HIV

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Abstract

There is a paucity of research on the prevalence of subjective cognitive complaints in people living with human immunodeficiency virus, along with the predictors and outcomes related to these complaints. We assessed demographics, substance use and psychiatric predictors, and HIV-related outcomes associated with subjective cognitive complaint items from the Cognitive Difficulties Scale. The sample consisted of 889 people living with HIV in the survey-based Florida Cohort. Results of multivariable regression models indicated that age (45–54), hazardous alcohol consumption, more frequent marijuana use and psychiatric symptoms (depression, anxiety, PTSD) were significant predictors of subjective cognitive complaints. Subjective cognitive complaints were associated with lower adherence to antiretroviral therapy in bivariate analyses, but this relationship was no longer significant after controlling for depression, race, alcohol and drug use. Further research into the relationship between depressive and subjective cognitive complaints may provide additional avenues for intervention.

Resumen

Existe una escasez de investigación sobre la prevalencia de quejas cognitivas subjetivas en personas que viven con el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH), junto con los predictores y los resultados relacionados con estas quejas. Evaluamos la demografía, el uso de sustancias y los predictores psiquiátricos, y los resultados relacionados con el VIH asociados con los ítems de quejas cognitivas subjetivas de la Escala de Dificultades Cognitivas. La muestra consistió en 889 personas que viven con el VIH en la cohorte de Florida basada en la encuesta. Los resultados de los modelos de regresión multivariable indicaron que la edad (45-54), el consumo peligroso de alcohol, el uso más frecuente de marihuana y los síntomas psiquiátricos (depresión, ansiedad, trastorno de estrés postraumático) fueron predictores significativos de quejas cognitivas subjetivas. Las quejas cognitivas subjetivas se asociaron con una menor adherencia a la terapia antirretroviral en los análisis bivariados, pero esta relación dejó de ser significativa después de controlar la depresión, la raza, el alcohol y el consumo de drogas. La investigación adicional sobre la relación entre las quejas cognitivas depresivas y subjetivas puede proporcionar vías adicionales de intervención.

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Data Availability

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.

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Funding

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA; U24AA022002; Recipient-Cook), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA; T32AA025877; Recipient – Cook), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA; F31AA024060; Recipient – Bryant), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA; K01AA025306; Recipient – Porges).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA

    Vaughn E. Bryant, Robert A. Fieo, Andrew J. Fiore, Veronica L. Richards, Huiyin Lu, Zhi Zhou & Robert L. Cook

  2. Cognitive Aging and Memory Clinical Translational Research Program, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, 1225 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32607, USA

    Vaughn E. Bryant & Eric C. Porges

  3. College of Nursing, University of Florida, 1225 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32607, USA

    Renessa Williams

  4. Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, 2055 Mowry Road, P.O. Box 100009, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA

    Vaughn E. Bryant

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  1. Vaughn E. Bryant
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  9. Robert L. Cook
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Data analysis was conducted by RF, HL, VB and ZZ. The first draft of the manuscript was written by VB and RF. Review and editing was conducted by all other authors. Additionally, all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Vaughn E. Bryant.

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All procedures performed in studies were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Bryant, V.E., Fieo, R.A., Fiore, A.J. et al. Subjective Cognitive Complaints: Predictors and Health Outcomes in People Living with HIV. AIDS Behav 26, 1163–1172 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-021-03469-5

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