Psychosocial health of an African group before awareness of HIV status: a comparative study
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Date
2011Author
Maré, Lanél
Wissing, Marié P.
Watson, Mada J.
Ellis, Suria M.
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This study aimed to explore the psychosocial health profiles of people with and without HIV before they learned their
infection status. A total of 1,025 participants (males = 386, females = 639, age range = between 32 and 87, infected = 153)
completed questionnaires on psychosocial well-being and were tested for HIV. Participants who were infected with HIV
had a lower sense of coherence and a lower capacity to succeed in joint community activities than the participants
infected with HIV. Some differences were detected between rural and urban areas. It is concluded that mental health and
quality of life may be compromised in some ways even before HIV status is known and overt symptoms of infection
noticed. Proactive interventions on community level to promote mental health and prevent problems are suggested
focusing amongst others on coping skills, relationship building, and finding meaning and engagement in community
activities.
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http://hdl.handle.net/10394/17103https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14330237.2011.10820424
https://doi.org/10.1080/14330237.2011.10820424