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AIDS-Related Grief and Coping with Loss Among HIV-Positive Men and Women

Kathleen J. Sikkema1, 2 Contact Information, Arlene Kochman1, Wayne DiFranceisco2, Jeffrey A. Kelly2 and Raymond G. Hoffmann2

(1) Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
(2) Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Abstract  AIDS-related grief was examined and its association with coping among HIV-positive men and women explored. AIDS-related grief, psychological distress and coping were examined among a sample of 268 HIV-infected individuals, diverse with respect to gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Participants exhibited elevated scores on measures of grief reaction and psychological distress including depressive symptoms, anxiety, and traumatic stress related to their losses. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that severity of grief reaction was associated with escape-avoidance and self-controlling coping strategies, type of loss, depressive symptoms, and history of injection drug use. Interventions are needed to enhance coping and reduce psychological distress associated with the unique bereavement experienced by people living with HIV- and AIDS-related grief.

HIV/AIDS - grief - bereavement - coping


Contact InformationKathleen J. Sikkema
Email: kathleen.sikkema@yale.edu
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