Memory Complaints in People Living with HIV in Iran

Abstract

Background: Several studies have reported that many people living with HIV (PLHIV) complain of memory impairments. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate these complaints both subjectively and objectively. Patients and Methods: For this purpose, 50 PLHIV and 50 of their companions as the control group were selected by the convenience sampling method in Shiraz, Iran, and completed Ray's auditory-verbal learning test and the Patient’s Assessment of Own Functioning Inventory (PAOFI). The data was analyzed by using t-test. Results: Our findings showed a significant difference between PLHIV and the control group in terms of subjective memory complaints and objective memory functions. Conclusions: The overall result of the study showed that PLHIV reported more subjective memory complaints and poorer objective memory functions than the control group, regardless of the stage of the disease.