Marseille 2007
Marseille 2007
Abstract book
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Abstract #3  -  The impact of HIV/AIDS on the psychological adjustment of South African mothers living in poverty in the era of HAART
Session:
  42.8: Wellbeing and quality of life (Parallel) on Tuesday @ 16.30-18.30 in Auditorium/Overflow Chaired by Anna Liguori, Richard Harding
Authors:
  Presenting Author:   Mrs Rene Brandt - University of Cape Town, South Africa
 
  Additional Authors:   
Aim:
The study aimed to explore the psychological adjustment of HIV infected women and mothers living in poverty in the era of HAART.
 
Method / Issue:
One hundred and eighty adult women living in long-term poverty who were the primary caregiver of at least one child were administered a structured questionnaire as part of a cross-sectional survey. The sample comprised infected women, some but not all of whom were on antiretroviral therapy, as well as a comparison group of non-infected women from the same community.
 
Results / Comments:
Results showed that HIV positive mothers exhibited a significantly higher number of symptoms of depression and anxiety than HIV negative mothers living in the same community. Further, while the uptake of antiretroviral therapy did not impact on levels of anxiety, at six months after commencing treatment depressive symptoms showed a significant decline. An irregular income, poorer perceived physical health and the use of avoidant coping predicted higher levels of depressive symptoms amongst infected women, while less use of active coping and greater use of avoidant coping predicted higher levels of anxiety. HIV status had a significant, independent impact on levels of depressive symptoms but not anxiety. Avoidant coping was the best predictor of levels of depression and anxiety amongst women, independent of HIV status.
 
Discussion:
The key findings indicate that HIV status contributed to the mental health burden experienced by women living in poverty, and that longer-term use of antiretroviral therapy was associated with reduced depression. Further, since avoidant coping was the best predictor of psychological adjustment, it may be an appropriate focus for future targeted mental health interventions for this population group.
 
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