Chapter 28 - HIV/AIDS and Physical Exercises: Intervention, Adherence to HAART, and Health

Abstract

Physical activity and the practice of regular physical exercises are very important for people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The purpose of this study was to analyze the contributions from the practice of physical exercises in the promotion of health in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The study was performed in Natal—Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, in HIV-seropositive men and women. Data collection occurred from 2008 to 2011, and information was recorded during the different phases of the program. Parameters evaluated were treatment adherence, CD4+T-cell (TCD4+) levels, and opportunistic infections. Results showed that physical activity resulted in improved perception of health, functional autonomy, and social reintegration and demonstrated the importance of interventions with physical exercises as treatment coadjuvants for PLWHA. Physical exercise aids in the recovery of bodily alterations and disorders caused by lipodystrophy syndrome and TCD4+levels and leads to overall well-being in the participants.