Patient reported experiences in older adults living with HIV - a scoping review

Effective antiretroviral therapy has extended the life expectancy of people living with HIV and in Western countries, with 50% of individuals in Western countries now aged 50 or older. The aim was to review empirical research on adults who are 60 years or older on their experiences of living with HIV and their healthcare needs. A scoping review with a systematic literature search in Cinahl, Psycinfo and PubMed was performed in February and March 2022. A total of 4757 references, published 2012-2022, were screened and 20 studies were included. The findings indicate that the experiences and needs of older adults living with HIV vary depending on whether they are in the younger or the eldest part of the cohort. Overall, the group lives with multiple chronic conditions, is at a higher risk of cognitive limitations and reports more loneliness than people with no HIV. Limited qualitative research was available. Thus, future research should describe the subjective experiences of older adults to understand psychosocial aspects that impact successful ageing. This knowledge can inform interventions and services to support the well-being of older adults living with HIV, not only in Western countries but globally as the ageing population living with HIV continues to grow.