Coping among HIV negative and HIV positive female injection drug users

The study examined the psychosocial determinants of coping ability in a coh ort of 249 HIV positive and HN negative female injection drug users (IDUs), using a cross-sectional retrospective design. Information collected using a structured questionnaire included data on psychosocial risk and protectiv e factors in the personality, family, and peer domains, HIV status, and cop ing ability. Coping ability was associated with conventionality, greater co ntrol of emotions, less psychopathology, and family cohesion in both HIV po sitive and I-IN negative subjects. The psychosocial factors affected coping in HIV positive and I-IN negative IDUs via two different mediational model s. The interactional findings supported the influence of risk/protective in teractions in both groups. The findings demonstrate the impact of the inter play between personality factors and external support on coping ability in female IDUs.