The experiences of older HIV/AIDS patients : A descriptive literature review

Abstract: Background: The number of older people living with HIV/AIDS is increasing year byyear. With the ageing of society and advances in anti-HIV/AIDS treatment programmes,HIV/AIDS infection among older persons (over 45 years of age) is increasing at anunusual and unprecedented rate and is receiving increasing attention. However, as a newgroup emerging in recent years, patients themselves and their families lack ofknowledge on how to care and treatment. Their experiences need to be pooled in orderto provide better quality care.Aim: The aim of the study was to describe the experiences of older AIDS/HIV patients.Design: A descriptive literature review including studies with a qualitative approach.Method: All of the article were searched from PubMed via Medline. There were tenarticles selected to answer the aim of this review. Through reading the selected articles,authors compared their results, and summarized the experiences of older AIDS/HIVpatients.Results: Ten qualitative articles, which described the experiences of older AIDS/HIVpatients, resulted in three categories: (1) Physical changes (2) Psychological changes (3)Social changes.Conclusions: Older HIV/AIDS patients experience physical, psychological, and socialchanges. Their physical condition deteriorated, and they also felt negative emotionssuch as stigmatization, isolation, shame, and negative sadness from selective disclosureand expectation. They will also gain psychological growth and take steps to generatepositive emotions. Although they will reduce their contact with others in the society,they will also improve the quality of life and promote the popularization of diseases.The findings of this literature review provide a initial understanding of the experiencesof older patients with AIDS. It is necessary for nurses to provide physical,psychologicaland social education and guidance to older AIDS patients to improve their quality of lifein a more comprehensive and comfortable way.Key words: HIV/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, the older people,experiences.