AEGiS-06IAC: Psychosocial adjustment of HIV+ and HIV- high risk men: implications for targeted interventions.

6th International AIDS Conference


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

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Psychosocial adjustment of HIV+ and HIV- high risk men: implications for targeted interventions.

Int Conf AIDS 1990 Jun 20-23; 6:336 (abstract no. Th.D.842)
Soskolne V, Eyal A, Avramov R, Bentwich Z, Maayan S, Engelhard D; Hadassah Medical Organization, Jerusalem, Israel

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate aspects of psychological distress and psychosocial adjustment among high-risk men and to compare seropositive to seronegative men.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study of men attending HIV testing and follow-up clinics in 2 hospitals in Israel, 1988-89. Men with AIDS, HIV diagnosis of 2 months, or non-high risk were excluded. Self-report questionnaires were completed: a) sources of social supports, b) psychosocial adjustment (alpha=0.89), c) psychological distress (BSI, alpha=0.95). HIV+ men (N=46) and HIV- men (n=40) were similar in sociodemographics and risk exposure.

RESULTS: Support from friends (52%) was more common than family support (30%). Psychosocial adjustment problems were encountered frequently (tx=2.1). Psychological distress scores were in the range of psychopathological level (T-score over 70). HIV+ men had less support from friends than HIV- men (44% vs. 82% p less than 0.05) and more psychosocial adjustment problems (2.15 vs. 1.56 p less than 0.01) but were similar in psychological distress levels.

CONCLUSIONS: High-risk men who choose to be tested are distressed irrespective of their HIV status, and HIV diagnosis profoundly affects adjustment and social contacts. Psychological interventions are equally needed for HIV+ and HVI- high-risk men, and education efforts in a small and low prevalence country should target prevention of social problems for HIV+ men.

Keywords: AEGIS, Adaptation, Psychological, HIV, Social Adjustment, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Social Support, Emotions, HIV Seropositivity, HIV Infections, HIV-1, Questionnaires, Risk, Risk Factors, HIV Seronegativity, Prevalence, Cross-Sectional Studies, Israel, Human, Male, nursing, immunology, ICA6

900620
ThD842

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