TITLE:
Correlates and Predictors of Psychological Morbidity in HIV-Infected Persons: A Cross Sectional Study
AUTHORS:
O. H. Ezeh, C. C. Ezeh
KEYWORDS:
Psychological Morbidity, Predictors, Correlates, Coping Dysfunction
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Medical Psychology,
Vol.8 No.4,
September
3,
2019
ABSTRACT: Introduction: HIV-infection is associated with many factors including: physical, social, cultural and psychosocial factors. Physiological changes associated with HIV infection may generate psychological morbidity. However, specific psychosocial factors contributing to psychological morbidity remain unclear. Identifying factors contributing to psychological morbidity may help in prevention and planning intervention. Aims/Objectives: 1) To identify significant predictors of psychological morbidity from specific dysfunctional coping traits/dimensions among HIV-infected persons; 2) To assess/determine the association between predictor variables (specific coping dysfunctional traits) and psychological morbidity; 3) To identify other correlates of psychological morbidity; 4) To make recommendations on how to reduce levels of dysfunctional coping and psychological morbidity. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to examine data collected from 110 participants, HIV patients receiving HAART services from Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Results: Results indicate that HIV-patients with high levels of psychological morbidity were more likely to use dysfunctional coping more frequently. Therefore, greater psychological distress and symptoms reporting may be associated with dysfunctional coping. Conclusion/Recommendation: The study recommends that specific dysfunctional coping dimensions should also be targeted in interventions designed to reduce psychological morbidity in HIV patients.