ISSN:0021-9029    

DOI:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1987.tb00309.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1987

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Previous research has suggested that social support may act as a buffer against stress or in other ways may affect physiological adjustment, health, longevity, and sense of well‐being. Perceptions of social support in persons newly diagnosed with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS‐related Complex (ARC) were examined as a part of an ongoing longitudinal study. Social support was examined in terms of emotionally‐sustaining and problem‐solving types of help, based on Gottlieb's content analysis of informal helping behaviors. Representative examples of each of the four major categories of help were assessed in terms of their perceived desirability, availability, frequency of use, and usefulness if used. These social support data were then examined in relation to other behavioral, cognitive, affective, and medical indices.For persons with AIDS only, increased physical distress was associated with perceiving less availability of support. For both persons with AIDS and ARC, the more available social support was perceived to be, the less hopelessness and depression were reported. While all types of help were rated as desirable by both persons with AIDS and ARC, emotionally‐sustaining types of help were rated as more desirable, more available, more frequently used, and more useful when used than were problem‐solving types of help. Social support measures were most consistently and strongly correlated with the Commitment subscale of Kobasa's Hard

ISSN:0021-9029    

DOI:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1987.tb00310.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1987

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

A large‐scale survey was conducted in San Francisco to assess adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about AIDS. Data obtained from 1,326 adolescents demonstrate marked variability in knowledge across informational items, particularly about the precautionary measures to be taken during sexual intercourse which may reduce the risk of infection. The findings identified ethnic differences in knowledge about AIDS, with Asians having a lower overall knowledge score than Hispanics, Blacks, and Caucasians. Adolescents who score below the median for total number of correct responses were more than twice as likely to perceive themselves as very susceptible to AIDS. A comparison of surveys from other parts of the country suggests that proximity to an AIDS epicenter has great saliency for adolescents with respect to their knowledge and attitudes about AIDS. The proportion of adolescents reporting correct responses, for questions in common, between the surveys indicates that students in San Francisco score appreciably higher. A framework is also described for providing school‐based risk‐reduction health education for adoles

ISSN:0021-9029    

DOI:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1987.tb00311.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1987

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Longitudinal analyses reported here explored the relationship between a perceived sense of being at risk for AIDS and a variety of behavioral, social, and psychological consequences. Data were obtained from a cohort of 637 homosexual men living in Chicago, who are participating in a psychosocial study and have completed two waves of data collection. Their perceptions of risk were quantified using both an absolute and a comparative measure; these were combined into a risk index, scored from one to nine (x̄= 3.91;SD= 1.64). Univariate analyses demonstrated that level of risk was related to several measures of subsequent behavioral risk reduction. However, after adjustment for sociodemographic variables, initial behavior, and other components of a model predicting behavior change, this was no longer true. Of the 12 behavioral outcomes assessed, only one was related to risk after appropriate adjustment, and this relationship was negative. Other longitudinal analyses examined the impact of a sense of risk on measures of psychosocial functioning which have been theoretically linked to health behaviors and to measures of psychological/ social distress. These demonstrated a range of potentially adverse consequences for those who perceived themselves to be at greater risk for AIDS, including increased barriers to behavioral change, obsessive/compulsive behavior, social role impairment, and more intrusive worries and concerns about AIDS. Taken together, these results suggest that there is little or no observable benefit to an increased sense of risk, but that such a sense subsequently leads to distress and dysfunction in a variety of realms. The implications of these findings for development of policy concerning antibody testing of at‐risk populations is discuss

ISSN:0021-9029    

DOI:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1987.tb00312.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1987

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

The acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has rapidly become the most serious medical consequence of injecting illicit drugs. Its potential impact on intravenous (IV) drug use is enormous. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, also known as HTLV‐III and LAV), the virus that causes AIDS, appears, usually, to lead to lifelong infection. At present there is no effective treatment, and the treatments under development may require lifelong antiviral therapy. Since most of the antibody produced in response to HIV infection does not neutralize the virus, and since there is substantial genetic variation in the virus, it will be difficult to develop a vaccine. Even after vaccines are developed, testing their safety and efficacy will be formidable problems. Until either effective treatment or vaccines are developed, control of the epidemic among IV drug users must be attempted through behavior change/prevention efforts. In this paper we will review the epidemiology of AIDS among IV drug users and characteristics of the IV drug‐use subculture relevant to prevention efforts. We will then identify different target groups for these prevention efforts, present available evidence about behavior change in these groups, and then briefly discuss how to prevent transmission of HIV to heterosexual partners who are not themselves IV drug users and to the children of IV drug us

ISSN:0021-9029    

DOI:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1987.tb00313.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1987

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

To assess the psychosocial responses of hospital workers to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), 237 hospital employees were interviewed. Information was obtained on frequency and nature of contact with AIDS patients; knowledge about AIDS; attitudes about AIDS and about homosexuality; and stresses related to AIDS care. Four indices were developed: AIDS‐Contact, AIDS‐Phobia, Homophobia, and AIDS‐Stress.Misperceptions and fears about AIDS, as well as negative attitudes about individuals with the disease, were common. AIDS‐Phobia was positively correlated with Homophobia and AIDS‐Stress. AIDS‐Phobia and AIDS‐Stress were negatively correlated with AIDS‐Contact. More patient contact was associated with lower levels of perceived stress, except for those with frequent but impersonal patient contact. Strategies for educational programs based on resul

ISSN:0021-9029    

DOI:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1987.tb00314.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1987

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Starting with the premise that research questions emanating from the fields of psychoneuroimmunology and behavioral medicine may provide critical information for understanding and treating acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), we provide brief backgrounds on psychoneuroimmunology and on AIDS. Previously, Solomon had generated 25 hypotheses based on the thesis that the immune and central nervous systems are intimately linked. Eight hypotheses from his list are presented as particularly relevant to AIDS. From these hypotheses, we derived a set of 12 new questions to be addressed in research on AIDS. Evidence and illustrations from studies in the literature, from our own research on psychoimmunologic relationships and psychosocial factors related to outcome, and from clinical examples is discussed for each question. Finally, suggestions are offered to address some of the problems in conducting psychoneurologic research.

ISSN:0021-9029    

DOI:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1987.tb00315.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1987

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

The current study explored the relationship of coping to both psychological and health parameters in 50 gay men recently (within three months) diagnosed with AIDS. Three methods of coping (active behavioral, active cognitive, and avoidance) and eight different coping strategies (positive involvement, expressive/ information seeking, reliance on others, positive understanding/create meaning, passive/ruminative, distraction, passive resignation, and solitary/passive behaviors) were assessed. Findings indicate that avoidance coping is not protecting these people from distressful feelings, mood disturbance, and concerns. The three coping methods evidenced distinctly different associations with measures of psychological and health variables. Active‐behavioral coping was related to lower total mood disturbance and higher self‐esteem, while avoidance coping was inversely related to self‐esteem and positively correlated with depression. The frequencies of specific coping strategies indicate men in this study were using cognitive strategies most frequently. Suggestions for interventions to help people cope with AIDS are

ISSN:0021-9029    

DOI:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1987.tb00316.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1987

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Until a vaccine against AIDS is developed, the most effective strategy for preventing the spread of the disease among gay men, the largest risk group, is to persuade them to abstain from particular kinds of sexual practices implicated in the transmission of the AIDS virus. Motivation to comply with risk‐reduction guidelines, however, is dependent in part on a realistic appraisal of the degree of risk associated with one's sexual practices.Data are presented from 160 asymptomatic gay men. Their subjective assessment of the riskiness of their sexual behavior is compared to an objective assessment of the riskiness of their sexual practices. Factors associated with a tendency to underestimate the riskiness of one's practices are examined. Finally, the implications of the findings for public health education efforts among gay men are discusse

ISSN:0021-9029    

DOI:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1987.tb00317.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1987

数据来源: WILEY