PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL ISSUES OF A COHORT OF PUERTO-RICAN HIV AIDS PATIENTS/

The current study describes the psychological and behavioral issues of a cohort of Puerto Rican HIV/AIDS patients. Differences in the depres sion mean score were determined and the predictor variables of depress ion among a cohort of Puerto Rican HIV/AIDS patients were also identif ied. Design: Cross-sectional survey of a longitudinal cohort (N=1,500) . Methods: The setting of this study was the Immunologic,oic Clinic an d the Dr. Ramon Ruiz Arnau University Hospital in Bayamon, Puerto Rico . The sample was composed initially of 58 patients who had completed t he Beck Inventory depression test (alpha Cronbach=0.93) and who were r egistered at the HIV/AIDS Central Registry between April 1995 and July 1996. Results: Women had higher depression scores than men. High educ ation groups (>12th grade) had lower depression scores than low educat ion groups. Patients reporting heterosexual practices had higher depre ssion score than patients without that practice. A multiple linear reg ression showed that predictors variables of the depression score were gender and education. Conclusions: A wide spectrum of psychological an d behavioral features were present within the HIV/AIDS sample, includi ng depression.