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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

V. Elaine Stephen, BA¹, Chwee-Lye Chng, PhD¹, and Mark A. Vosvick, PhD². (1) Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation, University of North Texas, P.O. Box 310769, Denton, TX 76203-0769, 940-565-2069, chng@unt.edu, (2) Psychology, University of North Texas, P.O. Box 311280, Denton, TX 76203-1280

Background: Depression wreaks havoc on the lives it touches triggering decreased productivity, anhedonia, and poor health consequences. In people living with HIV/AIDS(PLH), decreased immune function and decreased medication adherence can mean the difference between life and death. Research is sparse on correlates of depression (stigma, disclosure, social stress, and emotional support) in PLH. Disclosure compounds the relationship among stress, symptoms, and depression since treatment for PLH necessitates disclosure.

Methods: Our cross-sectional, correlational study used a diverse gender-balanced sample recruited from AIDS organizations in Dallas/Fort Worth (n=199, 47% women, 57% African-American, 12% Latino, aged 20-65), examining the relationships between depression, stigma, emotional support, disclosure, and social stress. We hypothesized that stigma (Berger Stigma Scale) and social stress (UCLA Social Support Inventory) would be positively correlated with depression (CES-D) and that emotional support (UCLA SSI) would be inversely correlated with depression.

Results: After controlling for demographic and medical factors, a stepwise linear regression analysis (adjusted R2= .32 [F(13,185)=8.3,p<.001]) suggests that social stress (t=3.33,p<.001) and HIV-related symptoms (t=5.11,p<.001) are positively associated with depression, and that emotional support (t= -3.05,p<.003) is negatively associated with depression, confirming our hypothesis. Additionally, moderation effects were found between social stress and depression when disclosure was the outcome variable (b=.15,p<.03).

Conclusion: Findings suggest that therapeutic techniques to increase emotional support, decrease social stress, minimize perceptions of stigma, and manage symptoms may lead to lower rates of depression in PLH. Findings also suggest that decreasing depression and perceptions of stigma may have positive effects on disclosure among PLH.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the learner will be able to

• List 4 therapeutic targets to minimize depression among people with HIV.
• Identify and contrast dimensions of social support that influence depression in people with HIV.
• Articulate ways to minimize perceptions of stigma in people with HIV.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered