Cognitive Screening

Cognitive impairment commonly exists in individuals aging with HIV, which can create high levels of stress and anxiety for many. Social and psychological interventions may help to reduce symptoms associated with cognitive impairment and enhance quality of life for people aging with HIV. Such interventions are in early research and testing stages of development, which may be attributed to the diagnoses needed for HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND) to qualify for clinical trials. To be diagnosed with HAND, many intensive, time-consuming tests take place, but many cases remain undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or misclassified due to the limitations of the assessment process. Thus, a brief & low-barrier assessment process may be a way to resolve diagnosis concerns related to HAND. Such alternate screening may improve enrolment and completion of clinical trials by removing the barrier of excessive tests to diagnose HAND. This may widen clinical trial eligibility while still offering valuable insight into individuals’ cognitive health and wellbeing