Improving the quality of life among young people living with HIV

A three-module intervention was designed to address the multiple needs of y oung persons living with HIV (YPLH): (1) Staying Healthy, (2) Acting Safe, and (3) Being Together. YPLH from three cities were assigned by small cohor t to either an Immediate Intervention Condition or a Control Condition. Bui lding on the positive effects of the Staying Healthy and Acting Safe Module s, this paper reports the effects of the Being Together Module, an eight-se ssion cognitive-behavioral intervention aimed at improving YPLHs quality of life. The YPLH (n = 104) were aged 14-23 (M = 21.03., 73% were male; most were Latino (43%) or African American (24%). YPLH in the Immediate Interven tion Condition were significantly less emotionally distressed on multiple i ndices than those in the Control Condition, and those who attended the inte rvention showed decreasing emotional distress even when controlling for HIV symptomatology. HIV preventive interventions must promote emotional well-b eing, as well as reduce risk acts and promote health behaviors. (C) 2001 El sevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.