HIV-INFECTION - SOCIAL NETWORK, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND CD4 LYMPHOCYTE VALUES IN INFECTED HOMOSEXUAL MEN IN MALMO, SWEDEN

Study objective - The aim was to determine if there is an association between social network and social support and the CD4 cell count in HI V infected homosexual men. Design - The study was cross sectional. A s tructured questionnaire assessing psychosocial factors such as social network and social support was administered at interview. Information on CD4 cell counts and HIV symptoms were obtained from participants' m edical records. Setting - The study population consisted of all HIV se ropositive homosexual and bisexual men who had not been diagnosed as h aving AIDS seen at the Department of Infectious Diseases, the only hos pital clinic in the city of Malmo (230 000 inhabitants), Sweden that p rovides care for HIV infected patients. Participants - Altogether 47 ( 68%) of 69 men in the population agreed to be interviewed. Main result s - A low CD4 cell count was found more frequently in men with low soc ial participation scores (OR 3.3; 95% CI 1.0, 11), in those with a low adequacy of social participation (OR 3.8; 95% CI 1.1, 13), and in men with low material support scores (OR 3.9; 95% CI 1.1, 13). After adju stment for age and time of awareness of the HIV infection, the two for mer associations remained statistically significant. Conclusions - The se results, if reproduced in a longitudinal study, might suggest that psychosocial factors can affect an individual's immune system.