BETWEEN ISOLATION AND NEW HOPE - PSYCHOSO CIAL SITUATION OF HIV-INFECTED WOMEN

HIV-infected women were an increasingly larger group among the risk gr oups in Germany. In order to illuminate the psychological situation of HIV-infected women in Germany, 100 women with HIV disease were enroll ed in a basic study. 72 % of the patients were intravenous drug addict ed 28 % were infected through other means. The study population compri sed patients of all stages of infection. We found 52 % in the first st ages, 28 % in ARC and 20 % with AIDS. Evaluated data included medical, socio-demographic, and data regarding the patients' history of drug a buse. The SCL-90-R, a psychological symptom inventory, was applied. Qu estions about differences between the two groups of HIV-infected women (iv drug addicted vs non-drug addicted) were answered first. Second, we described three clusters of HIV infected women with regard to diffe rent levels of psychological distress. Important factors to distinguis h between these clusters are the subjective impact of physical distres s (e.g. suffering from HIV-associated symptomes) and loss of joy and i nterest in sex. In order to illuminate the psychosocial situation, we discuss the specific situation of three patients.