Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a communicable disease leading to significant morbidity, mortality, and poor quality of life. Approximately, 2.5 million individuals were found to be infected with HIV-1 infection in the 2009 survey. Though anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has significantly increased the life span and treatment outcome in HIV-infected patients, social stigma, depression, substance abuse, and wrong cultural beliefs significantly impair their quality of life. Mental disorders such as major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety, and agoraphobia are commonly found in patients with HIV. Out of all these, depression is the most prevalent comorbid mental disorder with a prevalence of 22–38% among HIV – infected patients. Unemployment, lack of health insurance, low CD4+ cell counts, not having a partner, and poor quality of social support are significant contributors for depression in HIV- infected patients. Depression is found to be associated with poor adherence to ART, and also influences CD4 counts and viral loads (VLs) negatively. Antidepressant medications are helpful, but they are not free from side effects.

Complementary and alternative medicine is becoming popular as rehabilitation measures in patients living with HIV/AIDS. Yoga is the most commonly used mind–body intervention. It is cost-effective and easy to implement and offers benefit for emotional, psychological, and physical health. Yoga encompasses asanas (Yogic postures), pranayama (Yogic breathing practices), yoga-based relaxation techniques, and meditation.

Many studies demonstrated the broad positive impact of yoga in health and many disease conditions. Yoga can augment current treatment modalities of HIV infection. Yoga helps in many psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. It improves overall well-being and quality of life in many chronic medical illnesses. Earlier studies reported the potential role of yoga in resisting the impairment of cellular immunity. In a study in healthy volunteers, Yoganidra (a yogic relaxation technique) practice given for 30 min daily for 6 months showed a significant reduction in erythrocyte sedimentation rate than the control group. In another study, yoga practice improved natural killer cell activity in early breast cancer patients.[16] In a randomized control trial on pulmonary tuberculosis patients, 2 months of yoga practice helped in reducing the infection.

Yoga is proven to be safe and effective in reducing depression and anxiety. In a study, yoga helped reduction of blood pressure in pre-hypertensive HIV-1 infected subjects. Earlier, meditation and Qigong practice had been found useful in reducing anxiety and depression, and increasing T-cell count in HIV-infected patients.[20] But, this study was done on a small sample of HIV-infected patients and lacked control group. Hence, there is a need for exploration of this area with a better design. Therefore, present study was planned with an intention to assess the effect of a month-long Integrated Yoga (IY) intervention on psychological health and CD4 counts of HIV-1 infected individuals using a randomized controlled design.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a communicable disorder leading to considerable morbidity, mortality, and poor quality of life. Approximately, 2.5 million people had been determined to be infected with HIV-1 infection in the 2009 survey. Though anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has appreciably elevated the existence span and cure result in HIV-infected patients, social stigma, depression, substance abuse, and wrong cultural beliefs notably impair their quality of life.

Mental problems such as predominant depressive disorder, generalized anxiety, and agoraphobia are regularly determined in sufferers with HIV. Out of all these, depression is the most universal comorbid mental disease with an occurrence of 22–38% amongst HIV-infected patients. Unemployment, lack of health insurance, low CD4+ phone counts, no longer having a partner, and poor quality of social support are considerable contributors for despair in HIV- infected patients.

Depression is determined to be related with poor adherence to ART, and additionally influences CD4 counts and viral masses (VLs) negatively. Antidepressant medicinal drugs are helpful, however they are no longer free from side effects.

A study was conducted on “Effect of Integrated Yoga (IY) on psychological states and CD4 counts of HIV-1 infected patients: A randomized controlled pilot study by Rosy Naoroibam,  Kashinath G Metri ,  Hemant Bhargav , R Nagaratna and HR Nagendra.”

The aim of the study the effect of 1-month integrated yoga (IY) intervention on anxiety, depression, and CD4 counts in patients suffering from HIV-1 infection.