NIH Toolbox Emotion Battery Findings Among People with HIV: Normative Comparisons and Clinical Associations

Abstract

Purpose

Depression and other aspects of emotional health in people with HIV (PWH) can affect functional independence, disease progression, and overall life quality. This study used the NIH Toolbox Emotion Battery (NIHTB-EB), which assesses many features of emotional health, to more comprehensively investigate differences among adults living with and without HIV, and to identify factors associated with emotional health for PWH.

Patients and Methods

Participants (n=1451; age: M=50.19, SD=16.84; 47.90% women) included 433 PWH living in southern California seen from 2003 to 2021 (64.72% AIDS, 92.25% on antiretroviral therapy) and 1018 healthy participants from NIHTB-EB national normative cohort. Participants completed the NIHTB-EB and PWH underwent comprehensive HIV disease and psychiatric evaluations. We investigated differences in emotional health by HIV status via independent samples t-tests (continuous scores) and Chi² tests (“problematic” emotional health scores). Multivariable linear regression models examined correlates of emotional health among PWH.

Results

PWH had significantly worse emotional health than people without HIV across Social Satisfaction (Cohen’s d=0.71, p<0.001), Psychological Well-Being (Cohen’s d=0.49, p<0.001) and Negative Affect (Cohen’s d=0.19, p<0.01) summary T-scores, and most component scales. PWH also had higher rates of “problematic” emotional health, particularly in Social Satisfaction (45% vs 17%, p<0.0001). Poor emotional health among PWH was associated with lifetime Major Depressive and Substance Use Disorders, relationship status (lost relationship versus in relationship), unemployment, and cognitive difficulties and loss of functional independence.

Conclusion

The NIHTB-EB identified that difficulties with multiple aspects of emotional health are common among PWH, and appear to be relatively independent of cognitive impairment as well as HIV disease and treatment history, but are strongly associated with everyday functioning. Given the cross-sectional nature of this study, longitudinal studies should be employed to evaluate causality pertaining to predictors of emotional health in PWH. These findings may inform interventions to promote emotional wellbeing in PWH.

Keywords:

• social relationships
• depression
• emotional health
• positive factors
• HIV infection

Acknowledgments

The HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center (HNRC) is supported by Center award P30MH062512 from NIMH. The San Diego HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center [HNRC] group is affiliated with the University of California, San Diego, the Naval Hospital, San Diego, and the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, and includes: Director: Robert K. Heaton, Ph.D., Co-Director: Igor Grant, M.D.; Associate Directors: J. Hampton Atkinson, M.D., Ronald J. Ellis, M.D., Ph.D., and Scott Letendre, M.D.; Center Manager: Jennifer Iudicello, Ph.D.; Donald Franklin, Jr.; Melanie Sherman; NeuroAssessment Core: Ronald J. Ellis, M.D., Ph.D. (P.I.), Scott Letendre, M.D., Thomas D. Marcotte, Ph.D, Christine Fennema-Notestine, Ph.D., Debra Rosario, M.P.H., Matthew Dawson; NeuroBiology Core: Cristian Achim, M.D., Ph.D. (P.I.), Ana Sanchez, Ph.D., Adam Fields, Ph.D.; NeuroGerm Core: Sara Gianella Weibel, M.D. (P.I.), David M. Smith, M.D., Rob Knight, Ph.D., Scott Peterson, Ph.D.; Developmental Core: Scott Letendre, M.D. (P.I.), J. Allen McCutchan; Participant Accrual and Retention Unit: J. Hampton Atkinson, M.D. (P.I.) Susan Little, M.D., Jennifer Marquie-Beck, M.P.H.; Data Management and Information Systems Unit: Lucila Ohno-Machado, Ph.D. (P.I.), Clint Cushman; Statistics Unit: Ian Abramson, Ph.D. (P.I.), Florin Vaida, Ph.D. (Co-PI), Anya Umlauf, M.S., Bin Tang, M.S. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, nor the United States Government. This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health: K01DA053985-01A1, T32AA013525 and T32DA031098.

Disclosure

Dr Maria J Marquine reports grants from University of California San Diego, during the conduct of the study. The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.