Prediction of the healthcare needs of persons with HIV/AIDS from preliminary health assessment information

Abstract

The authors present evidence on the utility of standard health assessment information (i.e. health status, behavioural, and sociodemographic characteristics) collected by nurses for predicting the psychosocial and physiological healthcare needs of persons with HIV/AIDS in four clinical settings. A cross-sectional descriptive design using 386 patients tested the predictive accuracy of 10 predictors against 8 criterion variables. Multiple correlation and regression analyses produced employment status and income level as statistically significant predictors of several types of psychosocial needs. Only one equation with employment, medical diagnosis, and income predicting Health Behaviours/Social Support was clinically significant.