HIV/AIDS-related pain as a chronic pain condition: Implications of a biopsychosocial model for comprehensive assessment and effective management

This paper reviews the current literature focusing on pain in HIV/AIDS, inc luding prevalence, pathophysiology, substance abuse, treatment issues, and psychosocial contributions. In light of the high prevalence of pain among i ndividuals with HIV/AIDS, attention is paid to the negative psychosocial im pacts of pain in this population and to psychosocial barriers to optimal HI V/AIDS-related pain treatment. The paper conceptualizes HIV/AIDS pain as ch ronic pain. Subsequently, a biopsychosocial model of chronic pain assessmen t and treatment is applied. A multidimensional framework is presented for a ppropriate assessment and treatment of HIV/AIDS patients with pain, and spe cific recommendations and guidelines are offered for assessment and multimo dal treatment of HIV/AIDS-related pain informed by the model.