HIV/AIDS in African Americans



HIV/AIDS in African Americans

Introduction

AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) was first described in medical literature in 1981 (Centers for Disease Control, 1981).”Globally, an estimated 38.6 (33.4-46.0) million people worldwide were living with HIV in 2005 (UNAIDS, 2006). It is the fourth biggest killer in the world (after heart disease, stroke and respiratory diseases) and has become the single largest cause of death in Africa (Matlin & Spence, 2000).

This paper examines the research paper on 'The Protective role of the family and social support network in a sample of HIV- positive African American women: Results of a Pilot Study'. The title of the paper itself gives the summary and overview of the study. This study was done to examine the role of family functioning and social support in protecting HIV-positive African American women from the adverse psychological consequences associated with deterioration in their CD4 cell count.

CD4 cells, or helper T cells, are a particular type of lymphocyte (e.g., white blood cell), which play a key role in the functioning of the human immune system as they identify, attack, and destroy bacteria, germs, and other biological pathogens.

Researchers and clinicians are increasingly recognizing the critical “protective” role of social support in people with HIV/AIDS. For example, persons with HIV/AIDS report fewer feelings of helplessness and depression if friends or relatives are available to discuss emotional and illness-related issues (Ostrow et al., 1989; Zich & Temoshok, 1987).

Family functioning is associated with a variety of positive and negative psychological outcomes in HIV-positive populations (Boyd-Franklin, 1989; Catania, Turner, Choi, & Coates, 1992; Mellins & Ehrhardt, 1994).

The operational definitions of the variables were found to differ from those found in other researches. For example, social support is defined in different ways by Cobb (1976). He defined social support as 'the individual belief that one is cared for and loved, esteemed and valued, and belongs to a network of communication and mutual obligations' and Ell(1984)"the emotional support, advice, guidance, and appraisal, as well as the material aid and services that people obtain from their social relationships".

The focus of this pilot study, which presents data on a sample of convenience selected from a larger prospective study, 1 was to expand the current research literature by identifying key variables in the social context of African American women that help them adjust to the stress associated with being HIV positive. More specifically, the purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to establish the relationship between average monthly change in CD4 cell count and psychological distress and (b) to determine if family functioning and social support moderated this relationship.

The study employed the following tests, mean and standard deviations for average monthly CD4 cell changes, psychological distress, family functioning and social support.

Previous researchers have found that, Social networks and social support have been found to be beneficial to the health of individuals in a variety of ways--reducing mortality rates, improving recovery from serious illness, and increasing use of preventive health practices (Donna E. Hurdle, 2001).

Often a listening ear, together with acceptance ...