Correlates of loneliness as perceived by the terminally ill

The pain of loneliness is a universal social phenomenon, which is intensifi ed by a diagnosis of a terminal illness. The present study investigated the causes of loneliness as perceived by HIV/AIDS patients, those diagnosed wi th cancer, and the general population. Forty-three HIV/AIDS patients, 38 ca ncer patients, and 53 participants from the general population answered a 2 9 item questionnaire. Results indicated that with the exception of social m arginality, those afflicted with HIV/AIDS perceived the causes of their lon eliness to be significantly different from those of the other two samples. Secondly, cancer patients and subjects from the general population did not differ significantly in the perceived causes of their loneliness.