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Table 1 Symptom rank order, frequency, percentage and mean intensity

From: The symptom experience of people living with HIV and AIDS in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Problem

Rank

Frequency

Percentage

Mean intensity (a)

Headaches

1.

403

79.0

2.15

Fever

2.

351

68.8

1.83

Thirsty

3.

346

67.8

2.17

Fatigue

4.

340

66.7

2.10

Weakness

5.

338

66.3

1.79

Painful joints

6.

332

65.1

2.08

Nausea

7.

307

60.2

1.74

Muscle aches

8.

302

59.2

1.95

Fear/Worries

9.

300

58.8

1.87

Dizziness

10.

293

57.5

1.89

Lack of appetite

11.

281

55.1

1.80

Abdominal pain

12.

280

54.9

2.08

Depression (sadness)

13.

279

54.7

2.00

Numbness/tingling of legs

14.

272

53.3

1.93

Coughing/problems catching breath

15.

271

53.1

1.92

Concern over weight loss

16.

270

52.9

2.38

Night sweats

17.

269

52.7

2.03

Memory loss

18.

264

51.8

2.04

Constipation

19.

261

51.2

1.99

Chills (feeling very cold)

20.

258

50.6

1.89

Rash

21.

257

50.4

1.99

Itchy skin

22.

256

50.2

1.98

Anxious

23.

252

49.4

1.80

Numbness/tingling of arms

24.

249

48.8

1.86

Numbness/tingling of feet/toes

25.

244

47.8

1.92

Numbness/tingling of hands/fingers

26.

242(b)

47.5

1.83

Swollen feet

27.

241

47.3

2.03

Dry mouth

28.

240

47.1

2.02

Shortness of breath with activity

29.

240

47.1

1.84

Blurred vision

30.

238

46.7

2.18

Burning with urination

31.

237

46.5

2.04

Difficulty concentrating

32.

235

46.1

1.91

Day sweats

33.

232

45.5

1.87

Chest pain

34.

213

41.8

1.96

Heart racing

35.

210

41.2

2.11

Wheezing

36.

209

41.0

1.84

Insomnia/can't sleep

37.

201

39.4

1.84

Weight gain in stomach area

38.

195(b)

38.2

2.22

Diarrhoea

39.

193(c)

37.8

1.83

Easy bruising

40.

188

36.9

1.82

Shortness of breath at rest

41.

173

33.9

1.87

Loose stools

42.

167(b)

32.7

1.78

Gas/bloating

43.

162

31.8

1.72

Sore throat

44.

156(c)

30.6

1.80

White spots in mouth/Thrush

45.

156

30.6

1.96

Painful swallowing

46.

142(c)

27.8

1.99

Breast pain/changes

47.

140

27.5

1.59

Vomiting

48.

134

26.3

1.71

Prominent leg veins

49.

133

26.1

1.94

Sore/bleeding gums

50.

130(c)

25.5

1.73

Rectal itching

51.

130

25.5

1.97

Swollen glands

52.

127

24.9

1.92

Skinny arms and legs

53.

126(b)

24.7

1.99

Mouth ulcers

54.

115

22.5

1.80

Flushing

55.

115

22.5

1.73

Sores or lumps on genitals

56.

113

22.2

1.85

Concern over weight gain

57.

110

21.6

1.72

Nose bleeds

58.

107

21.0

1.84

Seizures/tremors

59.

99

19.4

2.15

Nipple discharge

60.

61

12.0

1.68

Rectal discharge

61.

52

10.2

1.80

Blood in spit/sputum

62.

50

9.8

1.76

Hump on back of neck/shoulders

63.

47

9.2

1.95

Rectal bleeding

64.

46

9.0

1.95

  1. "a" 1 (mild), 2 (moderate), 3 (severe). "b" Significantly more frequent among PLHIV on ART (P > .01), "c" Significantly more frequent among PLHIV not on ART (P > .01)