HIV Treatment Beliefs and Sexual Transmission Risk Behaviors among HIV Positive Men and Women

People are living longer and healthier with HIV infection because of successful combination antiretroviral therapies. HIV treatment beliefs are often associated with sexual practices among people living with HIV/AIDS but these associations may depend on the HIV status of sex partners. In a sample of 158 HIV positive men and women who were receiving HIV treatments, we examined the association between HIV treatment beliefs, HIV transmission risk perceptions, medication adherence, viral load and engaging in unprotected intercourse with any sex partners and specifically with sex partners who were not HIV positive (non-concordant). Results showed having missed medications in the past two days and treatment-related beliefs were significantly associated with engaging in unprotected intercourse with all sex partners as well as non-concordant partners. However, multivariate models showed that only treatment beliefs were significantly associated with engaging in unprotected intercourse with non-concordant partners. These results extend past research by demonstrating that the HIV status of sex partners sets the context for whether prevention-related treatment beliefs are associated with HIV transmission risk behaviors among people living with HIV/AIDS.     

The Genetics of Smoking Persistence in Men and Women: A Multicultural Study

Using a correlated liability dimensions model, we examined the extent to which the same genetic and environmental factors influence both initiation of regular cigarette smoking and maintenance of the smoking habit in men and women. We analyzed questionnaire survey data obtained from large samples of male and female like-sexed twins from three countries, Australia (N = 1535 pairs), Sweden (N = 5916 pairs), and Finland (N = 4438 pairs), subdivided into three age bands (18–25, 26–35, and 36–46 years of age). We found that familial influences on risk for persistence in smoking cannot be entirely explained by the same factors responsible for risk of smoking initiation. Total genetic variance for smoking persistence varied little by age band and sex (range, 39–49% in women and 42–45% in men); however, even among twins in the youngest group (18–25 years of age), who on average have the fewest years of cigarette use, less than 40% of the total genetic variance in smoking persistence was accounted for by the same genetic factors that increased risk of smoking initiation, and this percentage decreased to less than 10% in the 36–46 year olds.     

Correlates of HIV infection among people visiting public HIV counseling and testing clinics in Mpumalanga, South Africa

Background

HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) reduces high-risk sexual behaviour. Factors associated with HIV infection in VCT clients have not been well characterized in South Africa.

Objectives

A case-control study was carried out to determine the association between socio-demographic and HIV risk variables and HIV infection among people visiting HIV counseling and testing centers in two districts in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. Cases (n=1093) and controls (n=1162) were compared by socio-demographics, exposure to substances, and risky behaviours that predispose them to HIV infection.

Results

In multivariable analysis, having children, having been diagnosed with a a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the past three months, not having had oral sex in the past three months, lack of condom use consistency in the past three months, and lack of HIV behavioural skills enactments were significantly associated with HIV positive status.

Conclusion

HIV risk behaviour was found to be a significant risk factor for HIV infection in the study population. There is urgent need for health education to bring about behavioural changes to reduce HIV infection in the community.     

The association of benefit finding to psychosocial and health behavior adaptation among HIV+ men and women

Psychological and behavioral adaptation to HIV is integral to long-term survival. Although most research on coping with HIV has focused on factors associated with poor adaptation, recent research has expanded to include positive concomitants of adaptation, such as benefit finding. This study examined the occurrence of benefit finding among HIV+ men and women and evaluated the potential relevance of benefit finding to positive health behavior and psychosocial adaptation. HIV+ participants (N = 221) recruited during outpatient care completed self-report assessments of benefit finding, social support, depression, HAART adherence, substance use, and physical activity. In a series of multivariate analyses that controlled for demographic and health status variables, benefit finding was associated with lower depression scores, greater social support, and more physical activity, but showed no association to HAART adherence or substance use. The association of benefit finding to depression was partially mediated by differences in social support. Thus, benefit finding may improve psychological adjustment by motivating patients who experience stress-related growth to seek social support.     

Barriers to HIV Medication Adherence: Examining Distinct Anxiety and Depression Symptoms among Women Living with HIV Who Experienced Childhood Sexual Abuse

Experiencing sexual violence in childhood or adolescence is highly prevalent among some women living with HIV, often resulting in anxiety and depression symptoms in adulthood. Anxiety and depression have been associated with HIV medication nonadherence, yet little research has assessed distinct components of anxiety and depression as risk factors of HIV medication nonadherence. The current study examined distinct symptom components of anxiety and depression as predictors of HIV medication non-adherence among women living with HIV and childhood sexual abuse enrolled in a coping intervention. This secondary analysis included a sample of 85 women living with HIV and childhood sexual abuse and being prescribed antiretroviral medication who completed measures on anxiety, depression, and medication adherence. Results from a logistic regression analysis suggest that distinct components of anxiety may be related to medication nonadherence among this population. Targeted mental health interventions for this population may increase adherence to antiretroviral medication.     

艾滋病病毒感染者/艾滋病患者生存质量与社会支持调查

目的了解艾滋病病毒(HIV)感染者与艾滋病(AIDS)患者的生活质量、社会支持现状及其影响因素。方法选择山西省运城市夏县某村57例,以简明健康调查问卷(SF-36)及社会支持评定量表(SSRS)进行问卷调查,对相关数据进行统计分析。结果①HIV感染者/AIDS患者生存质量在生理职能、躯体疼痛以及情感职能方面的得分显著低于常模(t=-5.795,-3.359,-6.010;P<0.01),在精力方面的得分显著高于常模(t=2.639,P<0.05);②社会支持主要与健康状况、精力、社会功能和情感职能明显正相关(r=0.298,0.337,P<0.05;r=0.410,P<0.01;r=0.290,P<0.05)。结论 HIV感染者/AIDS患者获得的社会支持越多,其生活质量越好。     

中老年女性心理健康现状及其影响因素

目的:调查中老年女性心理健康现状,分析影响心理健康状况的因素。方法:采用凯斯勒10量表(K10)、抑郁自评量表(SDS)和焦虑自评量表(SAS)对研究对象的心理健康状况进行评价,探讨影响中老年女性心理健康状况的因素。结果:参与本项研究的中老年女性的K10得分为(14.23±3.10)分,SAS得分为(57.98±5.82)分,SDS得分为(55.69±5.76)分;未婚、受教育程度为小学及以下、职业为农民或工人、家庭人均月收入≤3000元、健康状况较差的中老年女性其K10得分、SAS得分和SDS得分较高,而不同年龄的中老年女性上述指标的得分无明显差别;婚姻状况、受教育程度和健康状况是影响中老年女性心理健康状况的因素(P0.05)。结论:中老年女性心理健康状况值得关注,且与其婚姻状况、受教育程度和健康状况有密切联系。     

Substance use and its relationship to depression, anxiety, and isolation among youth living with HIV

Reductions from lifetime to recent levels of substance use, the time since HIV diagnosis, physical health symptoms, CD4 counts, emotional distress, and social supports were examined among 227 (20% female; 22% African American, 27% Anglo, 35% Latino) youth living with HIV pH) ages 13 to 24 years. Substance use pervaded the lives of these youth. Male YLH had used more drugs., more often, and for longer periods than women. However, there had been major reductions in use. Being male, having high emotional distress, and having fewer negative social supports were significantly associated with greater reductions in substance use. There was a trend for the length of time that an individual was seropositive being associated with reductions in substance use. The counterintuitive findings suggest that there must be a re-examination of the role of the social support networks of youth living with HIV, as well as the ways in which emotional distress interacts with risk behaviors. This research was supported by Grant R01 DA-07903 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus. We thank Brad Brusavich, Christina Christie, Timothy R Cline, A1 Cohall, Lori Crawford, Donna Futterman, Marya Gwadz, Darius Jatulis, Michael Kennedy. Michelle Kipke, Kris Langabeer, Linda Levin, Sutherland Miller, Zane O’Keefe, Barbara Otto, Ron Reynolds, Mavis Seehaus, Arlene Schneir, Kevin Wong, and Whitney Wright.     

大学生挫折承受力与父母养育方式、社会支持的相关性研究

目的 探索大学生挫折承受力与父母养育方式、社会支持的关系.方法 用自编挫折承受力问卷、父母养育方式评价量表(EMBU)和社会支持评定量表对大学生进行测定.结果 ①父母的养育方式如情感温暖、理解与挫折承受力的外显行为存在显著正相关.父亲的惩罚、严厉、过分干涉、偏爱被试、拒绝、否认及母亲的过分干涉、过度保护、拒绝、否认、惩罚、严厉、偏爱被试的养育方式与外显行为呈负相关.而内在思维情绪只与父亲的过度保护显示出负相关.②挫折承受力的外显行为与社会支持呈正相关.结论 大学生挫折承受力与父母养育方式及社会支持有关,在培养大学生挫折承受力的同时应结合父母养育方式和社会支持来考虑.     

Cigarette smoking and risk of lung cancer in Korean men: the Seoul Male Cancer Cohort Study

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Korea. The aim of this study was to estimate lung cancer risk of cigarette smoking in Korean men by a 10-yr follow-up prospective cohort study using the primary databases. The number of subjects was 14,272 men, who had full information of smoking habits among participants in the Seoul Male Cancer Cohort Study (SMCC). Total 125,053 person-years were calculated by determining the number of days from the start of followup, January 1, 1993, until the date of lung cancer diagnosis, death from another cause, or the end of follow-up, December 31, 2002, followed by converting the number of days to years. The information of outcome was obtained by the database of Korea Central Cancer Registry, Seoul Regional Cancer Registry, and Korea Statistical Office. The relative risk (RR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) values of smoking were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression stratified on potential confounders. During the follow-up periods, 78 cases of lung cancer occurred. The cigarette smoking is the major risk factor and increases the 4.18-fold risk of lung cancer in Korean men. In order to control lung cancer, intervention of quitting smoking is needed.     

汶川地震极重灾区妇女创伤后应激症状、心理健康及其影响因素

目的:考察极重灾区妇女创伤后应激症状、心理健康问题的发生特点及影响因素。方法:对汶川地震极重灾区99名妇女(47名地震中丧亲妇女,52名未丧亲妇女)采用创伤后应激障碍检查表平民版(PCL-C)、社会支持量表(SSRS)和一般健康问卷(GHQ28)进行测查。结果:①)极重灾区妇女PTSD总检出率37.4%,丧亲妇女检出率55.3%,未丧亲妇女21.1%,心理健康问题总检出率79.8%,丧亲妇女检出率为89.3%,未丧亲妇女检出率71.2%,丧亲妇女检出率均显著高于未丧亲妇女。文化程度不同的妇女PTSD检出率有显著差异。②总体PCL-C与GHQ-28测量结果之间各维度均呈现显著正相关。③丧亲状况的主效应显著,丧亲妇女和未丧亲妇女之间创伤后应激症状总分及各维度分数均存在显著差异。④丧亲是极重灾区妇女PTSD症状和心理健康的危险因素;社会支持是保护性因素。     

女性流动人口的流动性、抑郁情绪与烟酒使用行为的关系

目的：考察女性流动人口的流动性、抑郁情绪与娴酒使用行为之间的关系。方法：运用问卷调查法对866名从农村流动到北京打工的年轻女性流动人口的流动性、抑郁情绪和烟酒使用行为进行测查。结果：①20．9％的女性流动人口使用一种或两种物质，20-25岁的女性流动人口使用两种物质的人数最多；②女性流动人口抑郁情绪的发生率为22．6％，未婚者的抑郁发生率显著地高于已婚者；③在总体流动时间（P〈0．05）和流动城市数量（P〈0．000）上存在显著的烟酒使用行为、年龄和教育水平的交互作用：在抑郁情绪上存在显著的烟酒使用行为主效应（P〈0．05）；④多层线性回归方程结果表明，在控制了婚姻、年龄和教育水平的作用后。女性流动人口的流动性、抑郁情绪可以显著地预测其烟酒使用行为。结论：女性流动人口的烟酒使用行为与其流动性和抑郁情绪有关，应该对女性流动人口的心理健康状况给予积极的关注。以促进她们的身心健康。     

Associations between Cigarette Smoking and Total Mortality Differ Depending on Serum Concentrations of Persistent Organic Pollutants among the Elderly

There are substantial variations of relative risks (RR) in smoking-related mortality by country and time. We hypothesized the RRs in smoking-related mortality might differ depending on serum concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). We evaluated the associations of cigarette smoking with total mortality in 610 elderly (aged ≥ 70 yr) (702 elderly for organochlorine pesticides [OCPs]) after stratification by serum concentration of POPs, in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2004 followed through 2006. Summary measures of POPs subclasses showed significant or marginally significant interaction with cigarette smoking on the risk of total mortality. P values for interaction were 0.069 for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), 0.008 for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and 0.024 for OCPs. The effect of smoking on total mortality showed different patterns according to the serum concentration of some POPs. Former or current smokers had 1.4 to 2.9 times higher mortality rates compared with never smokers among participants with higher serum concentrations of POPs (2nd or 3rd tertiles). However, when the level of PCBs or OCPs were low (1st tertile), there were little positive associations between smoking and mortality. Our study suggests that the background exposure to several POPs may be related to variability in smoking-related total mortality.     

Implementing the Use of Rapid HIV Tests in Public Health Centers in Seoul: Results of a Pilot Project, 2014

To determine whether rapid HIV tests in public health centers might encourage voluntary HIV testing, a pilot project was conducted in four selected public health centers in Seoul, 2014. During the period April 10 to November 28 of pilot project, 3,356 rapid tests were performed, and 38 were confirmed as positive. The monthly average numbers of voluntary HIV tests and HIV-positive cases were up to nine-fold and six-fold larger, respectively, than those of the period before application of the rapid HIV test. Among 2,051 examinees that completed questionnaires, 90.3% were satisfied. In conclusion, the use of rapid HIV tests in public health centers promoted voluntary HIV testing and was satisfactory for examinees.     

Educated and At-Risk: How the Shortage of Available Partners Influences HIV Risk for College-Educated African-American Women

Background

African-Americans have the greatest gender-ratio imbalance compared to other racial groups in the United States. This has been associated with higher rates of concurrent sexual partnerships, increasing risk of HIV infection. College-educated African-American women are of particular interest as they are not often represented in studies on HIV prevention, while their dating and sexual negotiation patterns may differ from those of their lower-educated and lower-income counterparts more often the subject of study in HIV research among African-Americans.

防化兵个性、社会支持与心理健康

目的 分析防化兵个性、社会支持与心理健康的关系.方法 采用自行设计的人口学资料问卷、艾森克人格问卷简式量表中国版(EPQ-RSC)、社会支持评定量表(SSRS)和症状自评量表(SCL-90)对396名防化兵测查,并进行统计分析.结果 防化兵SCL-90焦虑和敌对因子均显著高于军人常模.人格特征表现为高外倾性,高神经质和高精神质.EPQ-RSC各维度分和SCL-90多个因子分存在相关.社会支持总分、主观分和利用度分与SCL-90各因子分都呈统计学显著相关.结论 防化兵职业容易产生心理健康问题,不同人格特征容易产生不同的心理健康问题,社会支持有利于防化兵心理健康.     

Seroprevalence of HIV,HBV, HCV,and HTLV among Pregnant Women in Southwestern Nigeria

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are major public health challenge especially in developing countries. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and Human T-cell lymphotropic Virus type I (HTLV-I) among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic, in Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, and South-Western Nigeria. One hundred and eighty two randomly selected pregnant women were screened for HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV and HTLV-1 IgM antibodies using commercially available ELISA kit. Of the182 blood samples of pregnant women screened whose age ranged from 15–49 years, 13 (7.1%), 5 (2.7%), 9 (4.9%), and 44 (24.2%) were positive for HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, and HTLV-1 IgM antibodies, respectively. The co-infection rate of 0.5% was obtained for HBV/HCV, HBV/HIV, HIV/HTLV-1, and HCV/HTLV-1 while 1.1% and 0% was recorded for HBV/HTLV-1 and HCV/HIV co-infections, respectively. Expected risk factors such as history of surgery, circumcision, tattooing and incision showed no significant association with any of the viral STIs (P > 0.05). This study shows that there is the need for a comprehensive screening of all pregnant women for HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV and HTLV-1 to prevent mother to child transmission of these viral infections and its attending consequences.     

影响女性失业者心理健康的因素和作用机制

目的考察影响女性失业者心理健康的因素和作用机制。方法采用问卷法对416名唐山市50岁以下的失业女职工进行测量。结果1失业时间长短对不同的应对方式均无显著预测作用,但对心理健康有直接影响;2目前是否已再就业对心理健康无显著预测作用,也不能通过不同的应对方式间接影响心理健康;3社会支持、成熟型应对方式可以显著预测心理健康,而不成熟型和合理化的应对方式对心理健康无显著预测;4不同应对方式在社会支持和心理健康之间起部分中介作用。结论失业时间越长,心理健康状况越好;社会支持越高,成熟型应对方式使用越多,心理健康水平越高;不同应对方式在社会支持和心理健康之间起着重要的中介作用,社会支持越高,越有利于增加成熟型应对方式的使用,减少不成熟型和合理化应对方式的使用,从而更好地保护心理健康,免受应急伤害。     

高校贫困生社会支持与心理健康及其人格特征的相关研究

目的 探讨贫困大学生心理健康状况和社会支持状况及人格特征的关系.方法 选取学校贫困生125名为研究组,相对应的120名非贫困生为对照组,采用症状自评量表(SCL-90)、社会支持评定量表和艾森克人格问卷(EPQ)测评.结果 ①贫困生SCL-90的总均分、躯体化水平、人际敏感、抑郁、焦虑、偏执、精神病性的因子分显著高于非贫困生;②在社会支持评定量表的主观支持和支持利用度得分贫困生普遍低于非贫困生;③社会支持各维度与SCL-90各因子负相关,与EPQ人格P和N维度呈显著负相关,而与人格E维度呈显著正相关.结论 社会支持对大学生心理健康和人格发展有重要影响,在高校心理健康教育中,要重视学生非智力因素的培养.