Psychological distress, substance use, and adjustment among parents living with HIV. J Am Board Fam Pract 2005;18(5):362-73
Date
09/09/2005Pubmed ID
16148246Pubmed Central ID
PMC1395483DOI
10.3122/jabfm.18.5.362Scopus ID
2-s2.0-27944484514 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 10 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: Being a parent, especially a custodial parent, living with HIV was anticipated to increase psychological distress and challenges to self-care.
METHODS: Mental health symptoms, substance use, and health care utilization were assessed among 3818 HIV-infected adults, including custodial parents, noncustodial parents, and nonparents, in 4 AIDS epicenters.
RESULTS: Custodial parents demonstrated significantly poorer medication adherence and attendance at medical appointments but were similar to nonparents and noncustodial parents in mental health symptoms and treatment utilization for mental health and substance use problems. Noncustodial parents demonstrated the highest levels of recent substance use and substance abuse treatment. Other markers of risk, such as African American ethnicity, lack of current employment income, and injection drug use moderated many of the apparent psychosocial disadvantages exhibited by parents.
CONCLUSIONS: Interventions specific to the psychosocial stressors facing families living with HIV are needed.
Author List
Goldstein RB, Johnson MO, Rotheram-Borus MJ, Kirshenbaum SB, Pinto RM, Kittel L, Pequegnat W, Mickalian JD, Weinhardt LS, Kelly JA, Lightfoot M, National Institute Mental Health Healthy Living Project TeamAuthors
Jeffrey A. Kelly PhD Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinLance S. Weinhardt MS,PhD Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Community and Behavioral Health Promotion in the Joseph. J. Zilber School of Public Health department at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Adaptation, PsychologicalComorbidity
HIV Infections
Humans
Multivariate Analysis
Parents
Stress, Psychological
Substance-Related Disorders