• DOI:10.1080/09540120600971083
• Corpus ID: 30220269

Symptom management and self-care for peripheral neuropathy in HIV/AIDS

@article{Nicholas2007SymptomMA,
  title={Symptom management and self-care for peripheral neuropathy in HIV/AIDS},
  author={Patrice K. Nicholas and Jeanne K. Kemppainen and Gladys Eugenia Canaval and Inge B Corless and Elizabeth F. Sefcik and Kathleen M. Nokes and Catherine A Bain and Kenn M. Kirksey and Lucille Sanzero Eller and Pamela J Dole and M. J. Hamilton and Christopher Lance Coleman and William L. Holzemer and Nancy R. Reynolds and Carmen J. Portillo and Eli Haugen Bunch and Dean Wantland and Joachim G. Voss and Ruby S. C. Phillips and Yun-Fang Tsai and Marta Rivero Mendez and Teri G Lindgren and Sheila M. Davis and Donna M. Gallagher},
  journal={AIDS Care},
  year={2007},
  volume={19},
  pages={179 - 189}
}

• P. Nicholas, J. Kemppainen, +21 authors D. Gallagher
• Published 1 February 2007
• Medicine, Psychology
• AIDS Care

Abstract Peripheral neuropathy is the most common neurological complication in HIV and is often associated with antiretroviral therapy. As part of a larger study on self-care for symptoms in HIV disease, this study analyzed the prevalence and characteristics of peripheral neuropathy in HIV disease, sociodemographic and disease-related correlates and self-care strategies. A convenience sample of 1,217 respondents was recruited from data collection sites in several US cities, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Taiwan. Results of the study indicated that respondents with peripheral neuropathy (n=450) identified 20 self-care behaviors including complementary therapies, use of medications, exercise and rest and/or elevation of extremities. Ratings of frequency and effectiveness were also included. An activities checklist summarized into five categories of self-care behaviors including activities/thoughts, exercise, medications, complementary therapies and substance was used to determine self-care behaviors. Taking a hot bath was the most frequent strategy used by those with peripheral neuropathy (n=292) and received the highest overall rating of effectiveness of any self-management strategies included in this study at 8.1 (scale 1–10). Other self-care strategies to manage this symptom included: staying off the feet (n=258), rubbing the feet with cream (n=177), elevating the feet (n=236), walking (n=262), prescribed anti-epileptic agent (n=80), prescribed analgesics (n=84), over-the-counter medications (n=123), vitamin B (n=122), calcium supplements (n=72), magnesium (n=48), massage (n=156), acupuncture (n=43), reflexology (n=23) and meditation (n=80). Several behaviors that are often deemed unhealthy were included among the strategies reported to alleviate peripheral neuropathy including use of marijuana (n=67), cigarette smoking (n=139), drinking alcohol (n=81) and street drugs (n=30).