This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Nunes, J. A. Articles by Webster, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nunes, J. A. Articles by Webster, A. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Social Support, Quality of Life, Immune Function, and Health in Persons Living with HIV

Community Medical Alliance, Boston

Susan J. Raymond, R.N., M.S.N.

Veterans Administration Medical Center, Boston

Patrice Kenneally Nicholas, D.N.Sc., R.N., C.S.

MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston

Jean D'Meza Leuner, Ph.D., R.N.

MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston

Ann Webster, Ph.D.

New England Deaconness Hospital

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between social support and quality of life in individuals with HIV. Using a descriptive, correlational design, data were collected from 50 HIV-positive individuals who were: (a) participants in support groups at a behavioral medicine unit, (b) inpatient or respite care patients with HIV, or (c) respondents to advertisements at AIDS service organizations. Instruments used for data collection were the Personal Resource Questionnaire 85-Part 2 (Weinert, 1987), measuring perceived social support, and the Quality of Life Index (QLI) (Ferrans & Powers, 1985), measuring the sense of well-being in life including the satisfaction with and importance of life domains with four subscales: health and functioning, socioeconomic, psychological/spiritual, and family. The results of the study indicated that social support was significantly correlated with quality of life (r = 0.81, p < 0.0001). Further, HIV status (a symptomatic HIV symptomatic HIV, AIDS) was significantly related to quality of life (p < 0.01). However, HIV status was not significantly related to social support. No significant relationship was found between CD4 counts and HIV status, CD4 counts and social support, or CD4 counts and perceived health status. However, CD4 counts were significantly correlated with scores on the QLI. The findings of the study indicate that social support and quality of life are significantly intercorrelated and that higher CD4 counts are related to quality of life in this sample of persons living with HIV. Further areas for research include evaluation of quality of life over the span of HIV disease and interventions aimed at enhancing or maintaining quality of life in persons across the spectrum of HIV disease.

Journal of Holistic Nursing, Vol. 13, No. 2, 174-198 (1995)
DOI: 10.1177/089801019501300207


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. K. Nicholas, I. B. Corless, A. Webster, C. A. McGibbon, S. M. Davis, S. E. Dolan, and A. Paul-Simon A Behavioral-Medicine Program in HIV: Implications for Quality of Life J Holist Nurs, June 1, 2003; 21(2): 163 - 178. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. K. Nicholas and A. Webster A Behavioral Medicine Intervention in Persons with HIV Clin Nurs Res, November 1, 1996; 5(4): 391 - 406. [Abstract] [PDF]