Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Food Security Status is Related to Mental Health Quality of Life Among Persons Living with HIV

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
AIDS and Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study evaluated the association between health related quality of life and food security among persons living with HIV (PLHIV). We studied 167 PLHIV who completed questionnaires assessing food security, disease symptomatology, and several domains of the SF-36 health related quality of life survey. HIV disease state was assessed from medical records. Associations between independent and outcome variables were determined through linear regression models. Compared to food security, very low food security was significantly associated with lower mental component summary scores, [average difference −4.98 (95 % CI −9.85, −0.10)]; mental health, [average difference −5.44 (95 % CI −10.08, −0.81)]; and general health, [average difference −5.13 (95 % CI −9.65, −0.65)] after adjusting for covariates. About a fourth of participants experienced severe food insecurity, which negatively influenced their mental health and general wellbeing. The inclusion of resources for food assistance in HIV treatment programs may help ameliorate mental health challenges faced by PLHIV.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ferrans CE. Definitions and conceptual models of quality of life. In: Lipscomb J, Gotay C, Snyder C, editors. Outcomes assessment in cancer. Cambridge: Cambridge University; 2005. p. 14–30.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Briongos Figuero LS, Bachiller Luque P, Palacios Martin T, Gonzalez Sagrado M, Eiros Bouza JM. Assessment of factors influencing health-related quality of life in HIV-infected patients. HIV Med. 2011;12(1):22–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Fleishman JA, Crystal S. Functional status transitions and survival in HIV disease: evidence from the AIDS costs and service utilization survey. Med Care. 1998;36(4):533–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Hays RD, Cunningham WE, Sherbourne CD, Wilson IB, Wu AW, Cleary PD, et al. Health-related quality of life in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection in the United States: results from the HIV cost and services utilization study. Am J Med. 2000;108(9):714–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Honiden S, Sundaram V, Nease RF, Holodniy M, Lazzeroni LC, Zolopa A, et al. The effect of diagnosis with HIV infection on health-related quality of life. Qual Life Res. 2006;15(1):69–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Lorenz KA, Cunningham WE, Spritzer KL, Hays RD. Changes in symptoms and health-related quality of life in a nationally representative sample of adults in treatment for HIV. Qual Life Res. 2006;15(6):951–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Lorenz KA, Shapiro MF, Asch SM, Bozzette SA, Hays RD. Associations of symptoms and health-related quality of life: findings from a national study of persons with HIV infection. Ann Intern Med. 2001;134(9 Pt 2):854–60.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Korthuis PT, Zephyrin LC, Fleishman JA, Saha S, Josephs JS, McGrath MM, et al. Health-related quality of life in HIV-infected patients: the role of substance use. AIDS Patient Care STDs. 2008;22(11):859–67.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Surah S, Adams R, Townsend L, Reynolds I, Kinahan JC, Keating S, et al. Health-related quality of life of HIV-infected intravenous drug users. Int J STD AIDS. 2013;24(11):867–74.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Briongos-Figuero LS, Bachiller-Luque P, Palacios-Martin T, De Luis-Roman D, Eiros-Bouza JM. Depression and health related quality of life among HIV-infected people. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2011;15(8):855–62.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Jia H, Uphold CR, Wu S, Reid K, Findley K, Duncan PW. Health-related quality of life among men with HIV infection: effects of social support, coping, and depression. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2004;18(10):594–603.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Sherbourne CD, Hays RD, Fleishman JA, Vitiello B, Magruder KM, Bing EG, et al. Impact of psychiatric conditions on health-related quality of life in persons with HIV infection. Am J Psychiatry. 2000;157(2):248–54.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Bastardo YM, Kimberlin CL. Relationship between quality of life, social support and disease-related factors in HIV-infected persons in Venezuela. AIDS Care. 2000;12(5):673–84.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Bekele T, Rourke SB, Tucker R, Greene S, Sobota M, Koornstra J, et al. Direct and indirect effects of perceived social support on health-related quality of life in persons living with HIV/AIDS. AIDS Care. 2013;25(3):337–46.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Burgoyne R, Renwick R. Social support and quality of life over time among adults living with HIV in the HAART era. Soc Sci Med. 2004;58(7):1353–66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Ruiz Perez I, Rodriguez Bano J, Lopez Ruz MA, del Arco Jimenez A, Causse Prados M, Pasquau Liano J, et al. Health-related quality of life of patients with HIV: impact of sociodemographic, clinical and psychosocial factors. Qual Life Res. 2005;14(5):1301–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Worthington C, Krentz HB. Socio-economic factors and health-related quality of life in adults living with HIV. Int J STD AIDS. 2005;16(9):608–14.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. de Boer-van der Kolk IM, Sprangers MA, Prins JM, Smit C, de Wolf F, Nieuwkerk PT. Health-related quality of life and survival among HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy: a study of patients in the AIDS therapy evaluation in the Netherlands (ATHENA) Cohort. Clin Infect Dis. 2010;50(2):255–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Andersen SA. Core indicators of nutritional state for difficult-to-sample populations. J Nutr. 1990;120(Suppl 11):1559–600.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Casey PH, Szeto KL, Robbins JM, Stuff JE, Connell C, Gossett JM, et al. Child health-related quality of life and household food security. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2005;159(1):51–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Sharkey JR, Johnson CM, Dean WR. Relationship of household food insecurity to health-related quality of life in a large sample of rural and urban women. Women Health. 2011;51(5):442–60.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Stuff JE, Casey PH, Szeto KL, Gossett JM, Robbins JM, Simpson PM, et al. Household food insecurity is associated with adult health status. J Nutr. 2004;134(9):2330–5.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Pheley AM, Holben DH, Graham AS, Simpson C. Food security and perceptions of health status: a preliminary study in rural Appalachia. J Rural Health. 2002;18(3):447–54.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. UNAIDS. Fact Sheet 2016 [06/07/2016]. http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/20150901_FactSheet_2015_en.pdf.

  25. Anema A, Vogenthaler N, Frongillo EA, Kadiyala S, Weiser SD. Food insecurity and HIV/AIDS: current knowledge, gaps, and research priorities. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2009;6(4):224–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Anema A, Kerr T, Weiser S, Zhang R, et al. Prevalence and correlates of self-reported hunger among HIV+ and HIV− injection drug users in Canada, 5th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment, and Prevention; 19–22 July 2009; Cape Town, South Africa, 2009.

  27. Mamlin J, Kimaiyo S, Lewis S, Tadayo H, Jerop FK, Gichunge C, et al. Integrating nutrition support for food-insecure patients and their dependents into an HIV care and treatment program in western Kenya. Am J Public Health. 2009;99(2):215–21.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Normen L, Chan K, Braitstein P, Anema A, Bondy G, Montaner JS, et al. Food insecurity and hunger are prevalent among HIV-positive individuals in British Columbia. Canada. J Nutr. 2005;135(4):820–5.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Vogenthaler NS, Hadley C, Lewis SJ, Rodriguez AE, Metsch LR, del Rio C. Food insufficiency among HIV-infected crack-cocaine users in Atlanta and Miami. Public Health Nutr. 2010;13(09):1478–84.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Wang EA, McGinnis KA, Fiellin DA, Goulet JL, Bryant K, Gibert CL, et al. Food insecurity is associated with poor virologic response among HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral medications. J Gen Intern Med. 2011;26(9):1012–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Weiser SD, Bangsberg DR, Kegeles S, Ragland K, Kushel MB, Frongillo EA. Food insecurity among homeless and marginally housed individuals living with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco. AIDS Behav. 2009;13(5):841–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Weiser SD, Frongillo EA, Ragland K, Hogg RS, Riley ED, Bangsberg DR. Food insecurity is associated with incomplete HIV RNA suppression among homeless and marginally housed HIV-infected individuals in San Francisco. J Gen Intern Med. 2009;24(1):14–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Tesfaye M, Kaestel P, Olsen MF, et al. Food insecurity, mental health and quality of life among people living with HIV commencing antiretroviral treatment in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2016;14:37.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Palar K, Kushel M, Frongillo EA, Riley ED, Grede N, Bangsberg D, et al. Food insecurity is longitudinally associated with depressive symptoms among homeless and marginally-housed individuals living with HIV. AIDS Behav. 2015;19(8):1527–34.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Heylen E, Panicker ST, Chandy S, Steward WT, Ekstrand ML. Food insecurity and its relation to psychological well-being among south Indian people living with HIV. AIDS Behav. 2015;19(8):1548–58.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  36. Gillespie S, Kadiyala S. HIV/AIDS and food and nutrition security: from evidence to action. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI); 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Gillespie S, Kadiyala S, Greener R. Is poverty or wealth driving HIV transmission? AIDS. 2007;21(Suppl 7):S5–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Oyefara JL. Food insecurity, HIV/AIDS pandemic and sexual behaviour of female commercial sex workers in Lagos metropolis, Nigeria. Sahara J. 2007;4(2):626–35.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Weiser SD, Leiter K, Bangsberg DR, Butler LM, Percy-de Korte F, Hlanze Z, et al. Food insufficiency is associated with high-risk sexual behavior among women in Botswana and Swaziland. PLoS Med. 2007;4(10):1589–97.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Mshana GH, Wamoyi J, Busza J, Zaba B, Changalucha J, Kaluvya S, et al. Barriers to accessing antiretroviral therapy in Kisesa, Tanzania: a qualitative study of early rural referrals to the national program. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2006;20(9):649–57.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Weiser SD, Tsai AC, Gupta R, Frongillo EA, Kawuma A, Senkungu J, et al. Food insecurity is associated with morbidity and patterns of healthcare utilization among HIV-infected individuals in a resource-poor setting. AIDS. 2012;26(1):67–75.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. Olupot-Olupot P, Katawera A, Cooper C, Small W, Anema A, Mills E. Adherence to antiretroviral therapy among a conflict-affected population in northeastern Uganda: a qualitative study. AIDS. 2008;22(14):1882–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Tsai AC, Bangsberg DR, Frongillo EA, Hunt PW, Muzoora C, Martin JN, et al. Food insecurity, depression and the modifying role of social support among people living with HIV/AIDS in rural Uganda. Soc Sci Med. 2012;74(12):2012–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. Weiser SD, Fernandes KA, Brandson EK, Lima VD, Anema A, Bangsberg DR, et al. The association between food insecurity and mortality among HIV-infected individuals on HAART. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2009;52(3):342–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  45. Weiser SD, Fernandes KA, Brandson EK, Lima VD, Bangsberg DR, et al. The impact of food insecurity and body mass index on mortality among HIV-infected individuals first initiating HAART XVII International AIDS Conference, Mexico City. Mexico: IAS; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Maluccio JA, Palermo T, Kadiyala S, Rawat R. Improving health-related quality of life among people living with HIV: results from an impact evaluation of a food assistance program in Uganda. PLoS One. 2015;10(8):e0135879.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  47. Palermo T, Rawat R, Weiser SD, Kadiyala S. Food access and diet quality are associated with quality of life outcomes among HIV-infected individuals in Uganda. PLoS One. 2013;8(4):e62353.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  48. Blumberg SJ, Bialostosky K, Hamilton WL, Briefel RR. The effectiveness of a short form of the household food security scale. Am J Public Health. 1999;89(8):1231–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  49. Baum M, Jayaweera D, Duan R, Sales S, Lai S, Rafie C, et al. Quality of life, symptomatology and healthcare utilization in HIV/HCV co-infected drug users in Miami. J Addict Dis. 2008;27(2):37–48.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Ware J, Kosinski M, Bjorner J, Turner-Bowker D, Gandek B, Maruish M. SF-36v2 health survey: administration guide for clinical trial investigators. Lincoln: Quality Metric Incorporated; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Saris-Baglama R, Dewey C, Chisolm G, Plumb E, King J, Kosinski M, et al. Quality metric health outcomes scoring software 4.0 user’s guide. Lincoln, RI: Quality Metric Incorporated; 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Weiser SD, Young SL, Cohen CR, et al. Conceptual framework for understanding the bidirectional links between food insecurity and HIV/AIDS. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;94(6):1729S–39S.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  53. Carter KN, Kruse K, Blakely T, Collings S. The association of food security with psychological distress in New Zealand and any gender differences. Soc Sci Med. 2011;72(9):1463–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Laraia BA, Siega-Riz AM, Gundersen C, Dole N. Psychosocial factors and socioeconomic indicators are associated with household food insecurity among pregnant women. J Nutr. 2006;136(1):177–82.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Vozoris NT, Tarasuk VS. Household food insufficiency is associated with poorer health. J Nutr. 2003;133(1):120–6.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Whitaker RC, Phillips SM, Orzol SM. Food insecurity and the risks of depression and anxiety in mothers and behavior problems in their preschool-aged children. Pediatrics. 2006;118(3):e859–68.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Claros JM, de Pee S, Bloem MW. Adherence to HIV and TB care and treatment, the role of food security and nutrition. AIDS Behav. 2014;18(Suppl 5):S459–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Cook JA, Cohen MH, Burke J, Grey D, Anastos K, Kirstein L, et al. Effects of depressive symptoms and mental health quality of life on use of highly active antiretroviral therapy among HIV-seropositive women. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2002;30(4):401–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Mehta S, Moore RD, Graham NM. Potential factors affecting adherence with HIV therapy. AIDS. 1997;11(14):1665–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Coleman-Jensen A, Nord M, Gregory C. Household food security in the United States in 2014. In USDA, editor.: Economic Research Services; 2015.

  61. Hatsu I, Johnson P, Baum M, Huffman F, Thomlison B, Campa A. Predictors and barriers to participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by HIV infected adults. Int J Health Nutr. 2014;5(1):17–25.54.

    Google Scholar 

  62. ICPH. Food insecurity and homeless families: improving SNAP and WIC Enrollment: Institute of children, poverty and homelessness. 2013. http://www.icphusa.org/index.asp?page=55&americanalmanac=2&story=95&pg=372. Accessed 25 May 2015.

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank our study participants and the HIV and Nutrition Research Clinic staff. We also acknowledge the Florida International University Graduate School for providing the Data Evidence Acquisition Fellowship which supported data collection for this study.

Funding

The project was supported by award number UL1TR001070 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences or the National Institutes of Health.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Sciences, College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University, 341 Campbell Hall, 1787 Neil Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Irene Hatsu

  2. Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Erinn Hade

  3. Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA

    Adriana Campa

Authors
  1. Irene Hatsu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Erinn Hade
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Adriana Campa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Irene Hatsu.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

All authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval

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

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hatsu, I., Hade, E. & Campa, A. Food Security Status is Related to Mental Health Quality of Life Among Persons Living with HIV. AIDS Behav 21, 745–753 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1573-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1573-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation