Does Viewing Pornography Diminish Religiosity Over Time? Evidence from Two-Wave Panel Data

Research consistently shows a negative association between religiosity and viewing pornography. While scholars typically assume that greater religiosity leads to less frequent pornography use, none have empirically examined whether the reverse could be true: that greater pornography use may lead to lower levels of religiosity over time. 

I tested for this possibility using two waves of the nationally representative Portraits of American Life Study (PALS). Persons who viewed pornography at all at Wave 1 reported more religious doubt, lower religious salience, and lower prayer frequency at Wave 2 compared to those who never viewed porn. 

Considering the effect of porn-viewing frequency, viewing porn more often at Wave 1 corresponded to increases in religious doubt and declining religious salience at Wave 2. However, the effect of earlier pornography use on later religious service attendance and prayer was curvilinear: Religious service attendance and prayer decline to a point and then increase at higher levels of pornography viewing. Testing for interactions revealed that all effects appear to hold regardless of gender. 

Findings suggest that viewing pornography may lead to declines in some dimensions of religiosity but at more extreme levels may actually stimulate, or at least be conducive to, greater religiosity along other dimensions.

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By:  Samuel L. Perry^a*

• ^a Department of Sociology, University of Oklahoma

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Place Matters: Contextualizing the Roles of Religion & Race for Understanding Americans' Attitudes About Homosexuality

As laws and policies related to homosexuality have evolved, Americans' attitudes have also changed. Race and religion have been established as important indicators of feelings about homosexuality. However, researchers have given almost no attention to how county characteristics shape Americans' attitudes. 

Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling techniques, we examine how personal characteristics and the religious and racial context of a county shape feelings about homosexuality drawing on data from the American National Election Survey and information about where respondents reside. 

We find that African Americans initially appear less tolerant than other racial groups, until we account for the geographical distribution of attitudes across the nation. 

Additionally, once we consider religious involvement, strength of belief, and religious affiliation African Americans appear to have warmer feelings about homosexuality than whites. Drawing on the moral communities' hypothesis, we also find that the strength of religiosity amongst county residents heightens the influence of personal religious beliefs on disapproving attitudes. 

There is also a direct effect of the proportion conservative Protestant, whereby people of all faiths have cooler attitudes towards homosexual individuals when they reside in a county with a higher proportion of conservative Protestants. 

Finally, we do not find any evidence for an African American cultural influence on attitudes.

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By:  Adamczyk A1, Boyd KA2, Hayes BE3.

• 1John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Graduate Center, City University of New York, USA. Electronic address: AAdamczyk@jjay.cuny.edu.
• 2Department of Sociology, Philosophy, and Anthropology, The University of Exeter, UK.
• 3Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Sam Houston State University, USA. 
• Soc Sci Res. 2016 May;57:1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2016.02.001. Epub 2016 Feb 8.

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Reported Church Attendance at the Time of Entry into HIV Care is Associated with Viral Load Suppression at 12 Months

The Southeast has high rates of church attendance and HIV infection rates. We evaluated the relationship between church attendance and HIV viremia in a Southeastern US, HIV-infected cohort. 

Viremia (viral load ≥200 copies/ml) was analyzed 12 months after initiation of care. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were fit for variables potentially related to viremia. Of 382 patients, 74 % were virally suppressed at 12 months. 

Protective variables included church attendance, being on antiretroviral therapy, CD4⁺ T lymphocyte count 200-350 cells/mm³ at care entry, and education. Variables predicting viremia included black race and selective disclosure of HIV status. 

Church attendance may provide needed support for patients entering HIV care for the first time.

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By:  Van Wagoner N1, Elopre L2, Westfall AO1, Mugavero MJ1, Turan J3, Hook EW1.

• 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, ZRB 206, 1720 2nd Ave South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
• 2Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, ZRB 206, 1720 2nd Ave South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA. lelopre@uabmc.edu.
• 3Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. 

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Measuring Attitudes About Hate: Development of the Hate Crime Beliefs Scale

Employing the federal Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA) of 2009 and other such legislation as a backdrop, the present study evaluated the nature of beliefs about hate-crime legislation, offenders, and victims. In addition, it investigated construct validity (i.e., political beliefs and prejudice) and predictive validity (i.e., blame attribution and sentencing recommendations). 

A total of 403 U.S. adults completed measures of prejudice and an initial pool of 50 items forming the proposed Hate Crime Beliefs Scale (HCBS). Participants were randomly assigned to read one of four hate-crime vignettes, which varied in regard to type of prejudice (racial-, sexual orientation-, transgender-, and religion-based prejudices) and then responded to blame and sentencing questions. 

Factor analyses of the HCBS resulted in four sub-scales: Negative Views (i.e., higher scores reflect negative views of legislation and minority group protection), Offender Punishment (i.e., higher scores suggest endorsement of greater punishment), Deterrence (i.e., greater scores denote support for hate-crime legislation as a deterrent of more violence), and Victim Harm (i.e., higher scores reflect pro-victim attitudes). Greater pro-legislation and pro-victim beliefs were related to liberal political beliefs and less prejudicial attitudes, with some exceptions. 

Controlling for a number of demographic, situational, and attitudinal covariates, the Negative Views sub-scale displayed predictive utility, such that more negative views of legislation/minority group protection were associated with elevated victim blame, as well as lower perpetrator blame and sentencing recommendations. 

Results are discussed in the context of hate-crime research and policy, with additional implications considered for trial strategy, modern prejudice, and blame attribution theory.

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By:  Cabeldue MK1, Cramer RJ2, Kehn A3, Crosby JW4, Anastasi JS4.

• 1Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ, USA cabeldue@student.fdu.edu.
• 2Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA.
• 3University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA.
• 4Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, USA. 
• J Interpers Violence. 2016 Mar 6. pii: 0886260516636391. 

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Religiosity as a Protective Factor for Hazardous Drinking and Drug Use among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Women

OBJECTIVE:

Despite research documenting disparities in risk for alcohol-related problems among sexual minority women, few studies explore potential protective factors within this population. This study examines how religiosity may function as a protective or risk factor for alcohol-problems or other substance use among sexual minorities compared to heterosexuals.

METHOD:

Data from 11,169 women who responded to sexual identity and sexual behavior questions from three population-based National Alcohol Survey waves (2000, 2005, 2010) were utilized for analyses of religiosity in relation to lifetime drinking, past year hazardous drinking, and past year drug use.

RESULTS:

Religiosity was significantly greater among exclusively heterosexual women compared to all sexual minority groups (lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual women who report same sex partners). Lesbians reported the lowest rates of affiliation with religions/denominations discouraging alcohol use. Past year hazardous drinking and use of any illicit drugs were significantly lower among exclusively heterosexual women compared to all sexual minority groups. High religiosity was associated with lifetime alcohol abstention and was found to be protective against hazardous drinking and drug use among both sexual minority and heterosexual women. Reporting religious norms unfavorable to drinking was protective against hazardous drinking among exclusively heterosexual women but not sexual minority women.

CONCLUSIONS:

Findings reveal the importance of considering sexual minority status in evaluation of religion or spirituality as protective among women. Future studies should explore religiosity in the context of other individual and environmental factors, such as positive identity development and community-level acceptance, which may be salient to resiliency among sexual minorities.

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By:  Drabble L1, Trocki KF2, Klinger JL3.

• 1San José State University School of Social Work, One Washington Square, San José, CA 95192-0124, United States. Electronic address: laurie.drabble@sjsu.edu.
• 2Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, 6475 Christie Ave. Suite 400, Emeryville, CA 94608, United States. Electronic address: ktrocki@arg.org.
• 3Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, 6475 Christie Ave. Suite 400, Emeryville, CA 94608, United States. Electronic address: jklinger@arg.org. 
• Drug Alcohol Depend. 2016 Feb 2. pii: S0376-8716(16)00050-8. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.01.022.

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Sexuality of Tunisian Women: Involvement of Religion & Culture

INTRODUCTION:

Culture and religion carry several prohibitions and taboos, especially in the Arab-Muslim societies, and are therefore involved in the sexual behavior and its perception, particularly that of women.

OBJECTIVES:

To assess the married population's knowledge and opinion about female sexuality, and to estimate the impacts of religious and cultural factors on women's life experience and sexual practice in the Tunisian society.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS:

Our study is in an inquiry. We targeted 55 men and 55 women agreeing to participate in the study. They responded to an anonymous self-administered questionnaire comprising 18 items related to the influence of religion and culture on female sexuality. Among these items, some were binary responses (yes or no) assessing knowledge about female sexuality in the Tunisian religious and cultural context; 8 others explored the opinions of participants about female sexuality. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (15th version). Pearson's chi-square test and Fisher's exact association test were used for comparative study (P<0.05).

RESULTS:

The rate of participants who did not manage to reach the threshold of 50% of responses compliant with religious precepts and morals in the Tunisian context was 48.19%. According to 61.8% of participants, the woman should consider sex as a religious duty, and according to 79.1%, she always ought to have sex with her husband even when she did not wish to. This assertion was more frequently reported by women (P<0.001). Among the participants, 35.5% did not approve of the idea that women had the right to reach sexual pleasure, like men. Men recognized this right less often than women did (P<0.001). With reference to social morals, 43.6% of participants thought that the woman should always remain passive when having sex. This opinion was more common to women (P<0.001). There were 71.8% who thought that premature ejaculation was not a limiting factor for female pleasure. Virginity was considered by 63.6% of respondents as a feminine virtue to preserve. This response was statistically more frequent among males (P<0.001). For 55.5%, in addition to sodomy, a man could not afford all the sexual practices with his wife. This response was significantly more frequent in males (P<0.001). Regarding the subjective perception of female sexuality, the percentage of those who thought that women might simulate orgasm was 70.9%. Women thought more frequently than men that such a behavior could be justified to avoid hurting the man's pride (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION:

The experience of sexuality within the Tunisian population is hampered by the prohibitions related to religion and culture, at least in some of its aspects. The reasons for that may be the ignorance of religious texts or their misinterpretation and the biased cultural transmission not followed by questioning or seeking deeper knowledge. The introduction of sex education in school programs could play a crucial role in the fight against the obstacles surrounding sexuality, in order to promote the welfare of woman, and thereby, that of the couple and the family.

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By:   Ben Thabet J1, Charfeddine F2, Charfi N3, Baati I3, Zouari L3, Zouari N3, Maâlej M3.

• 1Service de psychiatrie « C », faculté de médecine de Sfax, université de Sfax, CHU Hédi-Chaker, route El Aïn km 1, 3029 Sfax, Tunisie. Electronic address: kamounjihene@yahoo.fr.
• 2Service de psychiatrie « B », faculté de médecine de Sfax, université de Sfax, CHU Hédi-Chaker, Sfax, Tunisie.
• 3Service de psychiatrie « C », faculté de médecine de Sfax, université de Sfax, CHU Hédi-Chaker, route El Aïn km 1, 3029 Sfax, Tunisie.
• Encephale. 2015 Apr;41(2):144-50. doi: 10.1016/j.encep.2013.10.006. Epub 2014 Feb 7. 

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Role of Religion in Preventing Youth Sexual Activity in Malaysia

One of the popular approaches of preventing youth sexual activity in Malaysia is using religion to promote premarital sexual abstinence. Despite this intervention, youth continue to practise premarital sex. Thus, the purpose of this exploratory mixed methods study was to understand the role of religion on sexual activity among college students in Klang Valley, Malaysia. 

A self-administered questionnaire survey to determine the relationship between religiosity and youth sexual activity was carried out on 1026 students recruited from 12 randomly selected colleges. Concurrently, face-to-face interviews were conducted on 15 students to explore how religiosity had influenced their decision on sexual activity. The survey data were analysed using logistic regression, while the qualitative data from the interviews were examined using thematic analysis with separate analysis for each gender. Both quantitative and qualitative results were then compared and integrated. 

Religious activity significantly reduced the risk of continuing sexual activity among female students but not male students. There was no significant relationship of religious affiliation and intrinsic religiosity (inner faith) to sexual activity by gender. Having faith in religion and strong sexual desire were the main themes that explained participants' sexual behaviour. Engaging in religious activity might be effective at preventing female students from being sexually active. However, when sexual urges and desires are beyond control, religiosity might not be effective.

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By:  Muhammad NA1, Shamsuddin K2, Sulaiman Z3, Amin RM4, Omar K5.

• 1Family Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Cheras, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. drazimah@gmail.com.
• 2Community Health Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• 3Women's Health Development Unit, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia.
• 4Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu, Malaysia.
• 5Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• J Relig Health. 2016 Jan 25. 

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Responses to the Global HIV and AIDS Pandemic: A Study of the Role of Faith-Based Organisations in Lesotho

This article attempts to establish the key contribution by people of faith to the global HIV pandemic response, using Lesotho as a case study. Particular focus is paid to the work of selected religious organisations in Lesotho in this context, assessing their capacities to coordinate an effective HIV and AIDS action at the grassroots levels through education, health care, development, and social service activities. Empirical evaluations and findings regarding the level and quality of faith-based engagement in this field establish the basic premise of this article, namely, that faith-based organisations are contributing energy, expertise, and experience in order to achieve the commitment of the global commitment to advance universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, and support. Although the article is particularly focused on the Lesotho context, its tremendous implications for simulated studies and approaches across Sub-Saharan Africa are accentuated.

...Advocacy is another area in which the role of Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) might be expanded. Some FBOs have assumed an advocacy role for PLWH, advocating for greater access to health care, antiretrovirals (ARV), or workplace rights. These advocacy efforts can be quite important in countering the effects of discrimination or simple lack of attention.

Collaboration with other organisations is needed. If FBOs are to play a constructive role in addressing HIV in collaboration with the health care system, they must also recognise the unique and complementary strengths that each sector can bring to addressing it. There are also a series of activities that they can assume in collaboration with the health care system: 

• Complement the activities of others by addressing gaps outside the scope of others' missions or that others are unable to complete, for example, by establishing housing projects for PLWH and hospices and facilitating income-generating activities in which PLWH could engage once their health has been stabilised by ARV.
• Reinforce the activities undertaken by others, for example, by reinforcing prevention messages, counselling congregations on safe sex practices, and encouraging people to get tested.
• Facilitate the activities of other organisations, for example, by offering opportunities for health officials to promote the use of condoms in conjunction with other activities that FBOs are directly responsible for organising.
• Support the activities undertaken by others, for example, by recognising the efforts of others and encouraging people to support other organisations' programmes.

Like elsewhere around the world, FBOs have engaged in a wide range of HIV and AIDS prevention activities in Lesotho, but have tended to focus on certain ones. There was evidence of some FBO activity in HIV prevention with high-risk groups (sex workers, MSM) and broader involvement in ‘abstinence-only’ strategies targeted at youth. Less frequently conducted prevention activities included HIV testing, and condom education and distribution. There were also FBOs involved in a wide range of care and support activities, most frequently medical care and pastoral care and social support of PLWH and families. Less frequent social support activities include those related to nutrition, income generation, and housing. Finally, participants revealed FBO involvement in a variety of stigma-reduction and advocacy-related activities, including raising general community awareness about HIV as well as targeted efforts to build networks of PLWH and ensure treatment access...

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By:   Olowu D1.

• 1a Doctor of Juridical Sciences, School of Law , American University of Nigeria (http://www.aun.edu.ng/) , Yola , Nigeria .
• SAHARA J. 2015 Dec;12(1):76-86. doi: 10.1080/17290376.2015.1124802.
• 
  
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Healing Pathways: Longitudinal Effects of Religious Coping & Social Support on PTSD Symptoms in African American Sexual Assault Survivors

African American women are at a slightly increased risk for sexual assault (A. Abbey, A. Jacques-Tiaura, & M. Parkhill, 2010). However, because of stigma, experiences of racism, and historical oppression, African American women are less likely to seek help from formal agencies compared to White women (Lewis et al., 2005; S. E. Ullman & H. H. Filipas, 2001) and/or women of other ethnic backgrounds (C. Ahrens, S. Abeling, S. Ahmad, & J. Himman, 2010). Therefore, the provision of culturally appropriate services, such as the inclusion of religion and spiritual coping, may be necessary when working with African American women survivors of sexual assault. Controlling for age and education, the current study explores the impact of religious coping and social support over 1 year for 252 African American adult female sexual assault survivors recruited from the Chicago metropolitan area. Results from hierarchical linear regression analyses reveal that high endorsement of religious coping and social support at Time 1 does not predict a reduction in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms at Time 2. However, high social support at Time 2 does predict lower PTSD at Time 2. Also, it is significant to note that survivors with high PTSD at Time 1 and Time 2 endorse greater use of social support and religious coping. Clinical and research implications are explored...

[F]indings of the present research among African American survivors of sexual assault support are important as they underscore the need for longitudinal studies. The earlier cross-sectional findings of reduction in PTSD for those using social support did not manifest over a 1-year follow-up period. This is critical for clinicians and researchers to understand and explore further, as it points to the potential devastating effects of sexual assault that coping alone may not address. It is important to consider additional factors such as revictimization and other contextual factors in understanding and addressing the mental health outcomes of survivors. The use of religion to ameliorate distress and post-traumatic symptoms can be attributed to historical and/or present experiences of racism and discrimination, which may make African American women less likely to seek help from organized institutions and mental health providers, and more likely to turn to religious and spiritual supports for healing. The use of religion may also be reflective of greater stigma in the African American community towards mental health services (Farris, 2007), in which case efforts, such as public mental health campaigns with culturally respected spokespersons, should be made to reduce the stigma of such services and to provide culturally appropriate services that incorporate spiritual and/or religious coping. Additionally the development of spiritual/religious cultural competence is important for clinicians, as they should not overlook the presence of faith traditions of numerous African American clients. Instead, it is important for clinicians to assess for and recognize the presence of spiritual/religious beliefs and practices among clients.

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/O4Is9p

By:   Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD, Sarah Ullman, PhD, Yuying Tsong, PhD, Gera Anderson, MA, Pamela Counts, MA,Shaquita Tillman, PhD, Cecile Bhang, MA, and Anthea Gray, MA

Thema Bryant-Davis, Pepperdine University;

Contributor Information.

Correspondence regarding this manuscript should be addressed to Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436. Email: ude.enidreppep@tnayrbt

Authors’ Complete Mailing Addresses

Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436

Sarah Ullman, PhD; University of Illinois, Chicago; Department of Criminal Justice (M/C 141) 1007 West Harrison St.; Chicago IL 60607-7140

Yuying Tsong, PhD; California State University, Fullerton; Department of Human Services; Health Promotion Research Institute; 800 N. State College Blvd., KHS 115B; Fullerton, CA 92831-3599

Gera Anderson; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436

Pamela Counts; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436

Shaquita Tillman; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436

Cecile Bhang; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436

Anthea Gray, MA; Pepperdine University; GSEP: 16830 Ventura Blvd.; Encino, CA 91436

J Trauma Dissociation. 2015 Jan-Feb; 16(1): 114–128. doi:  10.1080/15299732.2014.969468 

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Chinese Immigrant Religious Institutions' Variability in Views on Preventing Sexual Transmission of HIV

We examined Chinese immigrant religious institutions' views on teaching about preventing sexual transmission of HIV and the consistency of their views with public health best practices in HIV prevention.

We used 2009 to 2011 survey data from 712 members of 20 New York City-based Chinese immigrant religious institutions to analyze their views on (1) teaching adolescents about condoms, (2) discussing homosexuality nonjudgmentally, and (3) promoting abstinence until marriage.

Religion type was a significant predictor of views in the 3 domains, with Evangelical Protestants in least agreement with public health best practices, Buddhists in most agreement, and mainline Protestants between them. Greater HIV knowledge was significantly associated with agreement with best practices in all 3 domains. The frequency of prayer, meditation, or chanting and the level of acculturation were significant predictors of views on teaching adolescents about condoms and promoting abstinence until marriage.

The best practice messages about HIV prevention that Chinese immigrant religious institutions find acceptable vary according to religion type and several other key factors, including HIV knowledge; frequency of prayer, meditation, or chanting; and level of acculturation.

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By:  Chin JJ1, Neilands TB1.

• 1John J. Chin is with the Department of Urban Policy and Planning, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY. Torsten B. Neilands is with the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. 

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The Negative Association between Religiousness and Children's Altruism across the World

Prosocial behaviors are ubiquitous across societies. They emerge early in ontogeny [1] and are shaped by interactions between genes and culture [2, 3]. Over the course of middle childhood, sharing approaches equality in distribution [4]. Since 5.8 billion humans, representing 84% of the worldwide population, identify as religious [5], religion is arguably one prevalent facet of culture that influences the development and expression of prosociality. 

While it is generally accepted that religion contours people's moral judgments and prosocial behavior, the relation between religiosity and morality is a contentious one. Here, we assessed altruism and third-party evaluation of scenarios depicting interpersonal harm in 1,170 children aged between 5 and 12 years in six countries (Canada, China, Jordan, Turkey, USA, and South Africa), the religiousness of their household, and parent-reported child empathy and sensitivity to justice. 

Across all countries, parents in religious households reported that their children expressed more empathy and sensitivity for justice in everyday life than non-religious parents. However, religiousness was inversely predictive of children's altruism and positively correlated with their punitive tendencies. 

Together these results reveal the similarity across countries in how religion negatively influences children's altruism, challenging the view that religiosity facilitates prosocial behavior.

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By:  Decety J1, Cowell JM2, Lee K3, Mahasneh R4, Malcolm-Smith S5, Selcuk B6, Zhou X7.

• 1The Child Neurosuite, Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. Electronic address: decety@uchicago.edu.
• 2The Child Neurosuite, Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
• 3Erick Jackman Institute of Child Study, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5R 2X2, Canada.
• 4Department of Educational Psychology, Hashemite University, Zarqa 13133, Jordan; College of Education, Qatar University, 2713 Doha, Qatar.
• 5Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.
• 6Department of Psychology, Koc University, Rumelifeneri Yolu 34450, Turkey.
• 7Department of Psychology, Sun-Yat Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China. 

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Three Sides of a Coin in the Life of People Living with HIV (PLWH)

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a global epidemic, a major challenge as a health care problem of modern times. As the survival of life increases from the time of an HIV-positive diagnosis, growing concern for the quality of the life has been extended.

To assess and correlate the coping, social support and quality of life.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinic of AIIMS, New Delhi. The sample comprised people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who were seropositive for last six months. The tools used to assess the coping, social support and quality of life were BREF COPE, MOS social support survey and WHO QOL-HIV BREF, respectively. Permission was taken from the authors of the tools. The ethical permission was taken from the center. The coping, social support and quality of life were assessed and their association was observed. Data were analyzed using SPSS 17.

The most commonly used coping styles were acceptance and religion. The social support used by most of PLWHA was tangible support and affectionate support, while the least used support was positive social interaction. The lowest quality of life is seen in social relations, followed by physical quality of life. There was positive association seen between coping and quality of life as well as social support and quality of life.

There was positive association between coping, social support and quality of life.

Below:  Showing baseline coping strategies adopted by PLWH

Below:  Bar graph showing domains of QOL of PLWH HIV/AIDS

Below: Association of baseline QOL with the Social Support of PLWH

Full article at: http://goo.gl/VxF2ge

By: Deepika Cecil Khakha,1 Bimla Kapoor,2 Manju,1 and Singh K Sharma3

²Former Director and Professor, Indira Gandhi Open University, New Delhi, India

³

1Lecturer, College of Nursing, All India Institute of Medicine Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India

2Former Director and Professor, Indira Gandhi Open University, New Delhi, India

3Prof. and Head Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

1Lecturer, College of Nursing, All India Institute of Medicine Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India

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