141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

286903
Resilience partially mediates the influence of HIV-related stress on HRQoL in older adults living with HIV/AIDS

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 5:00 PM - 5:15 PM

Xindi Fang, M.P.H. , Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Wilson Vincent, M.A. , Division of Prevention and Community Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
Sarah K. Calabrese, Ph.D. , Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Timothy G. Heckman, Ph.D. , College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Kathleen J. Sikkema, Ph.D. , Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC
Debbie L. Humphries, PhD, MPH , School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Nathan B. Hansen, Ph.D. , Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Background: By 2015, 50% of all HIV/AIDS cases in the United States will be in persons 50-plus years of age. Very little, if any, research has examined resilience in older HIV-infected persons. This research investigated the mediating effect of resilience between HIV-related stress and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in PLWHA over fifty. Methods: Data from a sample of 303 PLWHA over 50 was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to define a hypothesized resilience measure (represented by self-efficacy, coping, hope/optimism and social support) and to test a meditating effect of resilience between HIV-related stress and HRQoL (physical well-being, function and global well-being, and emotional well-being). Results: The SEM results showed satisfactory model fit for resilience construct, χ2 (14, N=301) =14.9, p=0.387, and CFI=0.99, IFI=0.99, TLI=0.99, RMSEA=0.014 (95% CI: 0.000, 0.059), with all factor loading raging from 0.60 to 0.80. The meditational model with an adequate fit (χ2 (63, N=301) =164.273, p<0.0001, CFI=0.95, IFI=0.95, TLI=0.93, RMSEA=0.073 (95% CI: 0.060, 0.087)) revealed a partial mediating effect of resilience between HIV-related stress and HRQoL. Conclusion: The model indicated a well-defined resilience construct and suggested that HIV-related stress partially reduces the negative influence of HIV-related stress on HRQoL. Future design of interventions that build personal capacity and environmental support may contribute to better management of HIV/AIDS and may be more efficacious in increasing HRQoL in older PLWHA.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Identify the conceptual construct of resilience and its components in older PLWHA; Assess the mediating effect of resilience on the predictive path between HIV-related stress and health-related quality of life.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am currently a MPH candidate and will graduate in May, 2013. My experiences in HIV/AIDS include conducting community based research to evaluate a nutritional intervention program and a needs assessment for AIDS-specific residential care housing in greater New Haven area. I have a broad interest in psychosocial and behavioral aspects of HIV/AIDS and quantitative research methods.
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.