Effect of H-ABT Therapy on Fatigue and Depression among Adolescent HIV Patients- An Experimental Study

Abstract

Background: HIV is no longer a terminal disease due to antiretroviral treatments; instead, it is a chronic condition which include fatigue and depression leading to poor quality of life. According to studies, fatigue and depression significantly affect quality of life and the presence of disabilities that limit physical function in HIV-infected people.

Aim: To evaluate the effect H-ABT Therapy on Fatigue and Depression in Adolescent living with HIV and its impact on individual QOL.

Methods: The study included 30 adolescent participants with age between 10-19 years diagnosed with HIV. The intervention consisted of three 30-minute H-ABT Therapy sessions each week for four weeks. Patients were evaluated using the Medical Outcomes Study HIV scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the fatigue severity scale at the beginning and completion of the intervention.

Results: The mean difference of FSS, BDI, MOS-HIV-PHS AND MOS-HIV-MHS score was 0.84± 0.35, 7.47±2.93, 9.17 ±3.43 and 16.47±5.69 which showed statistically highly significant difference with p value (p<0.001*) respectively.

Conclusion: The study concluded that H-ABT Therapy (Art Therapy, Binaural Beats and Tai Chi Exercises) were beneficial in the improvement of fatigue, depression symptoms and Quality of Life in Adolescent patients living with HIV.