AEGiS-09IAC: Family support is more important than friend or partner support in reducing distress among suburban and rural gay men.

9th International AIDS Conference


Berlin, Germany — June 6-11, 1993

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Family support is more important than friend or partner support in reducing distress among suburban and rural gay men.

Int Conf AIDS 1993 Jun 6-11; 9:120 (abstract no. WS-D17-4)
Mayne T, O'Leary A; Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS), University of California, San Francisco.

OBJECTIVE: To identify correlates of social support and their impact on use of community support services in a suburban and rural population of gay men.

METHODS: Interviews were conducted with 109 gay men with HIV infection using support services from Hyacinth Foundation, New Jersey's largest AIDS support organization. These interviews were conducted face to face, using a standardized questionnaire between October 1987 and January 1992. We assessed family, friend, and partner support, as well as distress and correlates of distress. Use of services was then tracked until death, drop out, or study termination.

RESULTS: Only family support was associated with reduced distress (r = .23, p < or = .01); fewer symptoms (r = .23, p < or = .01); less psychotherapy (r = .28, p < or = .01); less use of antidepressants (r = .20, p < or = .05); and less time between first positive HIV test and first use of Hyacinth services (r = .37, p < or = .01). Family support also predicted less use of support services, even after controlling for race and illness progression: Recreation (beta = .22, t = 2.40, p = .02); Counseling (beta = .19, t = -2.03, p = .05); Information and Referral (beta = -.19, t = -2.00, p = .05).

CONCLUSION: These data suggest that, unlike urban gays, suburban and rural gays are still impacted significantly by family, and that family support, more than friend and partner, reduces distress and symptoms. Family support also impacts more significantly on use of support services. These findings suggest that programs providing services for suburban and rural gays with HIV infection also provide education and support for family, and assess family support when evaluating client needs.

Keywords: AEGIS, Homosexuality, Male, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Social Support, HIV Infections, Emotions, Family, Counseling, Sjogren's Syndrome, Rural Population, Questionnaires, New Jersey, Human, Male, ICA9KWDaegis,homosexuality,male,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,socialsupport,hivinfections,emotions,family,counseling,sjogren'ssyndrome,ruralpopulation,questionnaires,newjersey,human,male,ica9
930606
WSD174

Copyright © 1993 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.