Identifying Distinct Symptom Clusters in Older Adults Living With HIV in the United States: A Latent Class Analysis

As the number of older people living with HIV (PLWH) continues to grow, many experience a high symptom burden that negatively affects quality of life. Identifying symptom subgroups can help inform targeted interventions. Our study explored symptom patterns among older PLWH and their associations with self-rated health. Participants (≥50 years) completed surveys on demographics, symptoms, and self-rated health. The latent class analysis identified symptom occurrence-based subgroups, and differences in the number of bothersome symptoms (those reported as causing moderate to severe distress) and self-rated health were examined. Among 152 participants, the most common symptoms were fatigue, insomnia, and anxiety. Three subgroups emerged all high (46.0%), mixed psychosomatic (39.5%), and all low (14.5%). The mixed psychosomatic group reported significantly worse self-rated health compared with the other groups. Psychological symptoms strongly influence health perception in older PLWH. Addressing psychological symptoms alongside physical symptom relief may improve self-rated health in this population.