Can Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Improve Quality of Life for Patients With HIV?

In a randomized trial, researchers found that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) significantly reduced depression symptoms and improved quality of life (QOL) in adults 55 or older living with HIV and cognitive impairment.

The growing population of adults aging with HIV faces increased vulnerability to HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). Although MBSR has shown promise in managing HIV-related stress in younger populations, its effectiveness in older individuals with cognitive impairment remains understudied. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of MBSR on psychological outcomes and cognitive metrics in adults 55 or older with HAND.

Participants aged 55 or older with HIV and cognitive impairment were randomly assigned to either an 8-week MBSR program or a control group. Psychological outcomes such as stress, anxiety, depression, and QOL as well as cognitive performance such as information processing speed, working memory, attention, and impulsivity were assessed at baseline, 8-week post-intervention and at 16-week follow-up.

Results showed that MBSR led to a significant improvement in depression symptoms at 8 weeks compared with the control group, although this effect was not sustained at 16 weeks. Participants in the MBSR group also reported a sustained improvement in perceived QOL at 16 weeks. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in cognitive performance.

The study’s limitations include the inability to sustain the improvement in depression symptoms beyond 8 weeks and the lack of effect on cognitive outcomes, suggesting the need for longer interventions or additional strategies to maintain benefits over time.

“MBSR shows promise as a tool to help alleviate the symptom burden of depression and low QOL in older individuals living with HAND, and future work should address methods to better sustain the beneficial impact on depression and QOL,” the study authors concluded.

Reference

Moskowitz JT, Sharma B, Javandel S, et al. Mindfulness-based stress reduction for symptom management in older individuals with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder. AIDS Behav. 2024;28(6):1811-1821. doi:10.1007/s10461-024-04295-1