HIV ILLNESS AND MENTAL DISTRESS IN FEMALE CLIENTS OF AIDS CARE AND REFERRAL CENTERS

With the rapid growth of HIV infection among women, the issue of how m edical problems influence psychological functioning in the female popu lation has acquired new meaning and urgency for health care policy on patient care. To develop effective strategies to meet the mental healt h needs of infected women we need a better understanding of the patter n of association between HIV and psychological distress. The objective of this study is to test several hypotheses that predict depression a nd anxiety in 95 adult females with HIV. This analysis addresses the f ollowing question: Is the level of perceived coherence, i.e., the exte nt to which individuals derive meaning and purpose in their lives desp ite their stage of HIV illness and degree of symptomatology, related t o the level of psychological functioning?