Telephone support group intervention for persons with hemophilia and HIV/AIDS and family caregivers

The purpose of this pilot project was to test the feasibility of a telephon e support group intervention for persons with hemophilia and HIV/AIDS and f or their family caregivers. Their support needs were unique because they di d not identify with predominant groups of persons with AIDS and were geogra phically dispersed from peers. The 12 week intervention involved separate t elephone support groups for hemophiliacs and for family caregivers. The two groups, comprised of a predetermined maximum of six people, were co-led by a professional and a peer. The support group for family caregivers involve d six people and the group for men with hemophilia included five people, in cluding one peer facilitator and one professional facilitator in each group . The telephone support group discussions were taped, transcribed, and anal yzed for prevalent themes. The peer and professional facilitators maintaine d weekly field notes. All participants reported that the telephone groups h ad a positive impact on meeting their support needs. They believed that the y had benefitted from sharing information and that the support groups had d ecreased their feelings of isolation and loneliness. Participants, however, contended that the intervention should be longer than 12 weeks. (C) 2001 P ublished by Elsevier Science Ltd.