A Cross-Sectional Relationship Between Social Capital, Self-Compassion, and Perceived HIV Symptoms

Context: Individual resources of social capital and self-compassion are associated with health behaviors and perceived symptoms, suggesting that both are positive resources that can be modified to improve a person's symptom experience.

Objectives: The aim was to examine the relationship between self-compassion and social capital and its impact on current HIV symptom experience in adult people living with HIV (PLWH). We further explored the impact of age on this relationship.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 2182 PLWH at 20 sites in five countries. Social capital, self-compassion, and HIV symptom experience were evaluated using valid and reliable scales. To account for inflated significance associated with a large sample size, we took a random sample of 28% of subjects (n = 615) and conducted correlation analyses and zero-inflated Poisson regression, controlling for known medical and demographic variables impacting HIV symptom experience.

Results: Controlling for age, sex at birth, year of HIV diagnosis, comorbid health conditions, employment, and income, our model significantly predicted HIV symptom experience (overall model z = 5.77, P < 0.001). Employment status and social capital were consistent, negative, and significant predictors of HIV symptom experience. Self-compassion did not significantly predict HIV symptom experience. For those reporting symptoms, an increase in age was significantly associated with an increase in symptoms.

Conclusion: Employment and social capital modestly predicted current HIV symptom experience. Social capital can be incorporated into symptom management interventions, possibly as a way to reframe a person's symptom appraisal. This may be increasingly important as PLWH age. The relationship between employment status and HIV symptom experience was significant and should be explored further.