ATTITUDES TOWARD SUICIDE IN PATIENTS WITH HIV AIDS/

This study investigated the attitudes toward suicide of HN positive pa tients, a population at substantial risk for suicide. Such attitudes h ave not been studied, and it is quite possible that the depression and stress associated with HIV may be mediated by such attitudes. The Sui cide Opinion Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Hopeles sness Scale, and a demographic questionnaire were administered to thre e male samples (n = 36 each). The first sample consisted of HIV positi ve gay men, with the diagnosis of AIDS or AIDS related complex (ARC). The second sample consisted of HIV negative gay men who had no symptom s for AIDS or ARC. The third sample consisted of thirty-six heterosexu al males in good physical health with no evidence of AIDS, ARC, or oth er major medical conditions. The three samples were matched on age, et hnicity, education, and reported annual income. The three samples diff ered significantly on both depression and hopelessness, with HIV posit ive scoring highest, HIV negative scoring intermediate, and heterosexu al scoring lowest. Depression correlated significantly with scores on the SOQ mental illness and cry for help scales for both HN groups, but not for the heterosexual group. Hopelessness scores correlated signif icantly with the SOQ mental illness scale for the HN negative and hete rosexual groups, but not for the HIV positive group. Significant diffe rences in attitude toward suicide between HIV positive and the other t wo samples were obtained on four of the SOQ scales. No significant dif ferences were obtained between HIV negative and heterosexual responden ts. These results suggest that as the HIV/AIDS entity progresses, atti tudes toward suicide are altered in order to cope with the stress and to maintain cognitive balance.