Physical, psychosocial and sexual health among people aged 50 years and above with and without HIV: a nationwide study.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate physical, psychosocial and sexual health outcomes in ≥50 years-old people with and without HIV.

Design: Cross-sectional study in Denmark comparing health outcomes by HIV status.

Methods: Data were drawn from the SHARE study, a nationwide survey conducted between 2021 and 2022, examining psychosocial, sexual and reproductive health in people with HIV (PWH), and compared to data from people without HIV (PWOH) in the nationally representative Project SEXUS cohort study. Health outcomes were assessed using validated patient-reported outcome measures, with sex-stratified logistic regression models adjusting for sociodemographic and other confounding factors.

Results: The study included 322 men and 67 women with HIV and 15 548 men and 13 926 women without HIV. PWH were more likely to report being single and having non-Danish parentage. HIV was associated with higher odds of liver disease in both men and women, cardiovascular and lung diseases in men, and osteoporosis and hypertension in women. Compared with PWOH, men with HIV more often reported depressive symptoms or a history of treatment for anxiety, while women with HIV more often reported loneliness, suicidal thoughts and domestic abuse. Sexually, PWH more often reported reduced sexual desire and activity, men with HIV more often reported erectile dysfunction or orgasmic dysfunction and women with HIV more often reported lubrication dysfunction or genital pain dysfunction.

Conclusions: PWH aged ≥50 years in Denmark face significantly more physical, psychosocial and sexual health challenges than PWOH. Clinical attention to these disparities is crucial for improving the overall health of ageing PWH.