The impact of 12-week supervised aerobic exercise on psychological markers in HIV clients on ART

Abstract

The study aimed to assess the impact of a supervised 12-week aerobic exercise program on paranoid ideation and phobia in HIV-positive clients undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART). Conducted at the General Military Hospital in Uganda, the study employed a quasi-experimental design. Quantitative data were collected from 135 participants recruited for the study. Data analysis using paired-sample t-tests revealed significant reductions in paranoid ideation and phobia symptoms among participants. Before the intervention, most participants experienced symptoms of paranoid ideation and phobia. After the intervention, the results showed an 81.9% reduction in paranoid ideation symptoms and a 42.3% decrease in phobia symptoms. Aerobic exercise is a valuable adjunct therapy for improving psychological markers in HIV-positive clients on ART.