AEGiS-06IAC: A comparison of coping responses between gay men who know and do not know their HIV status.

6th International AIDS Conference


San Francisco, California, USA — June 20-23, 1990

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A comparison of coping responses between gay men who know and do not know their HIV status.

Int Conf AIDS 1990 Jun 20-23; 6:336 (abstract no. Th.D.840)
Rodriguez RG, Herbert M, Kemeny ME, Schneider S, Taylor SE, Dudley J; University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA

OBJECTIVE: To compare psychological adjustment and coping with the risk of developing AIDS among 3 groups of gay men---those who have chosen not to know their HIV status (n=169), those who know they are HIV seropositive (n=238), and those who know they are HIV seronegative (n=312).

METHODS: The sample consisted of gay and bisexual men participating in the UCLA Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS). Willing participants filled out a psychosocial questionnaire packet. MACS subjects are provided with their HIV status if they choose to be informed. Between group comparisons were performed controlling for age and partner status.

RESULTS: Subjects who had chosen not to know their antibody status reported less engagement in various active coping processes (e.g., personal growth and helping others, health promotion behaviors) than men who know they are HIV+, reporting levels equivalent to men who know they are HIV-. Among the "chosen not to know" group, those who believe themselves to be HIV+ reported similar levels of worry about developing AIDS as did the men who know they are HIV+; however, those who believe they are HIV+ cope significantly less actively with the risk of developing AIDS than those who know they are HIV+.

CONCLUSION: Choosing to know one's HIV status and finding that it is HIV seropositive may promote the use of active coping efforts.

Keywords: AEGIS, Homosexuality, Male, Bisexuality, HIV Seropositivity, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Adaptation, Psychological, HIV, HIV Seronegativity, HIV Infections, Health Behavior, Questionnaires, HIV Antibodies, Human, Male, immunology, ICA6KWDaegis,homosexuality,male,bisexuality,hivseropositivity,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,adaptation,psychological,hiv,hivseronegativity,hivinfections,healthbehavior,questionnaires,hivantibodies,human,male,immunology,ica6

900620
ThD840

Copyright © 1990 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.