We have previously shown that: 1) time tradeoff utilities for current health are high, indicating that patients have a strong will to live; 2) half of patients felt that their life was better now than before they were HIV-infected; and 3) certain non-health-related factors such as spirituality and concern and love for one�s children correlated with health values and a sense that life has improved.

Background:

We have previously shown that: 1) time tradeoff utilities for current health are high, indicating that patients have a strong will to live; 2) half of patients felt that their life was better now than before they were HIV-infected; and 3) certain non-health-related factors such as spirituality and concern and love for one�s children correlated with health values and a sense that life has improved.

Objectives:

1) To assess health values of veterans and non-veterans with HIV/AIDS; 2) To characterize spirituality in patients with HIV/AIDS; 3) To derive a power function relating health ratings to utilities; and 4) To assess whether society assigns higher values to health states for veterans than for non-veterans.

Methods:

We interviewed 100 representative veterans with HIV/AIDS from the Cincinnati and Pittsburgh VAMCs and, concurrently, 350 non-veterans with HIV/AIDS from Cincinnati and Washington, DC, twice over 12-18 months. The patient questionnaire included clinical and demographic data; health values measures; a question comparing life now with life before being infected with HIV; and measures of health status/health concerns, HIV symptoms, depressive symptoms, spirituality/religion, adherence, social support, self-esteem, and optimism. We also assessed how medical house officers rate and value the health state of a hypothetical patient with congestive heart failure, identified either as a 72-year-old veteran or merely as a 72-year-old male.

Status:

Data collection completed ahead of schedule. Several manuscripts published with others to be submitted soon.

• Quality of Life
• HIV
• Spirituality

• Szaflarski M, Neal Ritchey P, Leonard AC, Mrus JM, Peterman AH, Ellison CG, McCullough ME, Tsevat J. Modeling the Effects of Spirituality/Religion on Patients' Perceptions of Living with HIV/AIDS. J Gen Intern Med. 2006 Dec;21 Suppl 5:S28-38.
• Yi MS, Mrus JM, Wade TJ, Ho ML, Hornung RW, Cotton S, Peterman AH, Puchalski CM, Tsevat J. Religion, Spirituality, and Depressive Symptoms in Patients with HIV/AIDS. J Gen Intern Med. 2006 Dec;21 Suppl 5:S21-7.
• Sherman SN, Mrus JM, Yi MS, Feinberg J, Tsevat J. How Do Patients with HIV/AIDS Understand and Respond to Health Value Questions? J Gen Intern Med. 2006 Dec;21 Suppl 5:S56-61.
• Cotton S, Puchalski CM, Sherman SN, Mrus JM, Peterman AH, Feinberg J, Pargament KI, Justice AC, Leonard AC, Tsevat J. Spirituality and Religion in Patients with HIV/AIDS. J Gen Intern Med. 2006 Dec;21 Suppl 5:S5-S13.
• Kudel I, Farber SL, Mrus JM, Leonard AC, Sherman SN, Tsevat J. Patterns of Responses on Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaires Among Patients with HIV/AIDS. J Gen Intern Med. 2006 Dec;21 Suppl 5:S48-55.
• Cotton S, Tsevat J, Szaflarski M, Kudel I, Sherman SN, Feinberg J, Leonard AC, Holmes WC. Changes in Religiousness and Spirituality Attributed to HIV/AIDS: Are There Sex and Race Differences? J Gen Intern Med. 2006 Dec;21 Suppl 5:S14-20.
• Mrus JM, Leonard AC, Yi MS, Sherman SN, Fultz SL, Justice AC, Tsevat J. Health-Related Quality of Life in Veterans and Nonveterans with HIV/AIDS. J Gen Intern Med. 2006 Dec;21 Suppl 5:S39-47.

Inclusion Criteria:

Adults with HIV/AIDS

Exclusion Criteria: