TITLE:
Perceived Social Support among HIV Positive and HIV Negative People in Ibadan, Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Oluyemisi Folake Folasire, Odun Akinyemi, Eme Owoaje
KEYWORDS:
HIV and AIDS; Social Support; MPSSS; Nigeria
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of AIDS,
Vol.4 No.1,
February
27,
2014
ABSTRACT: Background: People living with HIV and AIDS
(PLWHA) are assumed to have poor social support. This study compared the
satisfaction with perceived social support of people living with HIV and AIDS
with HIV negative patients. Method: 150 HIV positive patients were age and sex
matched with 150 HIV negative patients in a cross sectional comparative study.
Information on socio-demography and
social support was assessed
with questionnaire including multidimensional scale of perceived social support
(MSPSS). Chi square test, student t-test, and linear regression analysis were done at p = 0.05 level of significance. Result: Mean age
of the HIV positive versus HIV negative patients is 38.1 ± 9.0 years
versus 37.7 ± 9.2 years. Both groups had the lowest social support scores from family,
(FA): 3.81 ± 1.08 vs 3.95 ± 0.89, p = 0.240.
Perceived support from friends (FR) was higher in the HIV negative group 7.41 ±
1.99 vs 5.55 ± 2.34, p = 0.000 as well as perceived total support
(TS), 3.94 ± 0.68 vs
3.59 ± 0.77, p = 0.000. Linear regression for all the
respondents revealed HIV status contributed the most and predicted TS and FR
scores respectively (β =-0.181 95% C.I = -5.843 to -0.766, p = 0.010 and β = -0.317, 95% C.I, -4.260 to -1.792, p = 0.000). For PLWHA group, employment
contributed most to perceived TS (β = -0.181 95% C.I -11.812
to -0.0361, p = 0.049).
However, in HIV negative group, TS and FR had the greatest contribution from
marital status, (β = -0.416 95% C.I -6.157 to -1.829, p = 0.000) and(β -0.381 95% C.I -2.851 to -0.756, p = 0.001).
Also, the current living status (β = -0.268, 95%C.-3.238 to -0.360, p = 0.015, and β = -0.241 95% C.I -1.48 to -0.09, p = 0.027).
Conclusion: All respondents had the poorest
perception of support from family (FA). Lack of employment is the most
important factor identified in this group of PLWHA, responsible for the poor
TS. For the HIV negative group, not
being married and living outside family setting were the strongest factors for poor social support.