216960 Role of Coping among HIV-Positive African Americans

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Malik Muhammad, PhD , Duke University, Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Durham, NC
Christopher L. Edwards, PhD , Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences / Medical Psychology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
Sherrye McManus, MSW, MSPH , College of Health Sciences, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN
Chante' Wellington, PhD , Duke University Medical Center, Durhan, NC
LeKisha Edwards, PhD , Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
Miriam Feliu, PsyD , Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
Elwood Robinson, PhD , Department of Psychology, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC
Camela McDougald, MA , Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
Lenoard Beckum, PhD , School of Psychology, Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto, CA
Keith Whitfield, PhD , Duke University, Durham, NC
Cheryl Koopman, PhD , Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Many have held that Blacks developed coping strategies out of the challenges of slavery in the US. These strategies may be applied in current day to manage overt and covert racism, chronic unemployment and limited access to health care, just to name a few stressors. Few studies have examined if these coping strategies are used among Blacks who are HIV-positive. We compared the coping styles of 60 HIV-positive Black men and women to 101 HIV-positive White males and females. We found that compared to Whites, Blacks were more likely to utilize spirituality to cope with their HIV status, had greater satisfaction with social support, and were more likely to utilize denial as a coping strategy (p<.05). For Blacks, greater access to community resources was related to less mood disturbance (p<.05). Greater utilization of denial was related to more mood disorders and less behavioral disengagement (p<.05). We interpret these findings to provide further evidence for the utility of sociocultural-based coping models in the conceptualization of health behaviors among Blacks who are HIV positive.

Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and prevention
Diversity and culture
Other professions or practice related to public health
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Explore coping as a relevant psychosocial factor in the management of HIV. Explore racial differences in coping among patients who are HIV positive.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Coping

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified because I administer and monitor a major Federal Program that includes public health issues related to substance abuse prevention and treatment activities, as well as HIV early intervention and outreach services. Additionally, I possess Masters Degrees in social work and public health. Lastly, I have been involved in the delivery of substance abuse prevention and treatment services since 1993.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5010.0: HIV/AIDS Research and Practice: Community Perspectives