HIV Resilience Qualitative Study Hong Kong

Exploration of the Role of Resilience and Its Development in Later Life Among HIV Infected Older Adults: a Qualitative Study

This qualitative study aims to explore lived experiences of older adults living with HIV in Hong Kong. Twenty older Chinese adults of age 50 or above will be recruited from an HIV specialist clinic providing HIV care in the public service. Qualitative, semi-structured interview will be conducted to explore risk factors contributing to life stress and adversity, and protective factors associated with resilience. The qualitative data will be delineated to propose a typology of older adults living with HIV as characterized by their unmet needs, barriers and facilitators of resilience-building.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: HIV Infections; Elderly Infection
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: no intervention

Detailed Description

Objectives: The intersection of HIV and ageing has important implications for health and psychosocial wellbeing, which are complex in nature. In a setting with growing number of older adults living with HIV in Hong Kong, as in many other regions in the world, addressing their unmet healthcare needs is paramount. Failure to understand and recognise their needs will impede healthy ageing. This study aims to explore lived experiences of older adults living with HIV in regards their complex needs and resilience-building, with the specific objectives of examining associated factors of resilience development at individual-social- and structural level.

Design: A qualitative study targeting 20 older Chinese adults of age 50 or above who are living with HIV who are divided under the following groups: Group A: Chinese men who have sex with men and Group B: Chinese heterosexual males and females

Settings: Clinic providing HIV care in the public service

Methods: Participants will be recruited through purposive sampling based on their age (50-64; 65 and above of age), gender and sexual orientation. Qualitative, semi-structured interview will be conducted to explore: (1) risk factors contributing to life stress and adversity, and (2) protective factors associated with resilience. Interviews will be digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and managed using "NVivo" software. Themes will be developed, constantly compared within and between targeted groups, using Grounded Theory approach.

Anticipated outcomes:

The qualitative data will be delineated to propose a typology of older adults living with HIV as characterized by their (1) unmet needs, (2) barriers of resilience-building, and (3) facilitators of resilience-building.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 20

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Hong Kong
  • Hong Kong, Hong Kong
    • Prince of Wales Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 50 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Older adults living with HIV infection in Hong Kong

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Known and confirmed HIV infection
• age of 50 or above
• normally living in Hong Kong
• permanent residents of Hong Kong
• able to communicate in Cantonese

Exclusion Criteria:

• Active psychiatric disorder
• prisoners or under institutionalized care
• unable to give consent

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Men who have sex with men (MSM); Chinese men who have sex with men living with HIV infection and attending the service of HIV specialist service in Hong Kong	Other: no intervention; No intervention involved
non-MSM; Chinese heterosexual men and women living with HIV infection and attending the service of HIV specialist service in Hong Kong	Other: no intervention; No intervention involved

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
risk items	risk factors contributing to stress and adversity	1 year
protective factors	Factors associated with resilience	1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Shui Shan Lee, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 5, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): June 10, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 16, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 19, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): August 25, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 15, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 13, 2023
• Last Verified: June 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: HIV; elderly; resilience; qualitative research
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Disease Attributes; Infections; Communicable Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: HKHIV resilience 01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: The descriptive data could only be accessed by the investigators and the research team, in line with the ethics approval obtained.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No