Age is a key risk factor for cognitive decline, and early detection through routine testing is crucial for timely intervention to prevent further deterioration. Moreover, recent research has found people with HIV welcome routine screening for cognitive issues. There is ongoing debate regarding the most appropriate screening tools with none showing consistent strong psychometric properties in this population. Concise assessment tools which have been validated for mild cognitive impairment in the general population should be considered, particularly those that assess multiple cognitive domains (i.e. MoCA).
Capacity constraints within many HIV services make the implementation of routine screening tools challenging, however, services should at a minimum regularly question patients on the presence of cognitive symptoms. The European AIDS Clinical Society cognitive impairment screening questions could be used and offer a good compromise for capacity strained services.
See our the resources article provided in the ‘Info for healthcare providers section’ for more information and instant access to MoCA and EACS questions.