Aids Care-psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of Aids/hiv, 2006
This study examined the relationships among illness-related factors, stress, coping strategies an... more This study examined the relationships among illness-related factors, stress, coping strategies and psychological distress in HIV-infected persons in Hong Kong (N=118). Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the models of psychological distress as a function of demographic factors, illness-related factors, psychosocial stressors and coping. Results showed that positive thinking was inversely related to psychological distress and avoidance was associated with higher level of anxiety. However, the use of problem solving was found to be inversely related to anxiety. Results are discussed in the context of Chinese culture and the service in Hong Kong.
This study examines the relationships among illness-related factors, stress, health-related quali... more This study examines the relationships among illness-related factors, stress, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and psychological distress in persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) living in Hong Kong (N = 55). Participants completed questionnaires including a Symptom Checklist, Modified HIV Stressor Scale (HIVSS), Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). In addition, CD4 count information was obtained. Multiple regression analyses were used to model the SF-36 and HADS scores as a function of illness-related factors as well as the stress count and intensity. The number of symptoms was found to be inversely related to SF-36 general health and positively related to the HADS anxiety score. However, CD4 count did not have any significant association with any of the scales on the HRQOL or psychological distress. After controlling for the effect of symptoms, the HIVSS stress count still accounted significantly for additional variance in both HADS anxiety and depression as well as the SF-36 social functioning and role-emotional scores. The study supports the possible contribution of psychosocial factors to the HRQOL and psychological distress after controlling for illness-related factors. Results are discussed in the context of characteristic social factors and services in Hong Kong.
Aids Care-psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of Aids/hiv, 2007
The present study aimed at investigating the contribution of social support, depressive mood, med... more The present study aimed at investigating the contribution of social support, depressive mood, medical symptoms and objective memory performance to the subjective memory complaints of Chinese HIV-infected persons in Hong Kong. Ninety HIV-infected persons were administered the Hong Kong List Learning Test (HKLLT) as an objective measure of memory. They also reported their subjective memory complaints, HIV-related medical symptoms, depressive mood and perceived social support by self-administered questionnaires. Path analyses were conducted to evaluate models that depicted the relationships among the variables. The final model that showed the best fit to the data suggested that objective memory performance had no significant role to play in patients' subjective memory complaints. Depressive mood was found to be a significant factor that directly affected patient's subjective memory complaints and social support played an indirect role with depressive mood as a mediating variable. These findings suggest that memory complaints might be an indicator of mood disturbance and social support might be useful in ameliorating depressive mood and these complaints. The need of assessment of other cognitive functions in future research is also discussed.
Aids Care-psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of Aids/hiv, 2006
This study examined the relationships among illness-related factors, stress, coping strategies an... more This study examined the relationships among illness-related factors, stress, coping strategies and psychological distress in HIV-infected persons in Hong Kong (N=118). Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the models of psychological distress as a function of demographic factors, illness-related factors, psychosocial stressors and coping. Results showed that positive thinking was inversely related to psychological distress and avoidance was associated with higher level of anxiety. However, the use of problem solving was found to be inversely related to anxiety. Results are discussed in the context of Chinese culture and the service in Hong Kong.
This study examines the relationships among illness-related factors, stress, health-related quali... more This study examines the relationships among illness-related factors, stress, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and psychological distress in persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) living in Hong Kong (N = 55). Participants completed questionnaires including a Symptom Checklist, Modified HIV Stressor Scale (HIVSS), Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). In addition, CD4 count information was obtained. Multiple regression analyses were used to model the SF-36 and HADS scores as a function of illness-related factors as well as the stress count and intensity. The number of symptoms was found to be inversely related to SF-36 general health and positively related to the HADS anxiety score. However, CD4 count did not have any significant association with any of the scales on the HRQOL or psychological distress. After controlling for the effect of symptoms, the HIVSS stress count still accounted significantly for additional variance in both HADS anxiety and depression as well as the SF-36 social functioning and role-emotional scores. The study supports the possible contribution of psychosocial factors to the HRQOL and psychological distress after controlling for illness-related factors. Results are discussed in the context of characteristic social factors and services in Hong Kong.
Aids Care-psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of Aids/hiv, 2007
The present study aimed at investigating the contribution of social support, depressive mood, med... more The present study aimed at investigating the contribution of social support, depressive mood, medical symptoms and objective memory performance to the subjective memory complaints of Chinese HIV-infected persons in Hong Kong. Ninety HIV-infected persons were administered the Hong Kong List Learning Test (HKLLT) as an objective measure of memory. They also reported their subjective memory complaints, HIV-related medical symptoms, depressive mood and perceived social support by self-administered questionnaires. Path analyses were conducted to evaluate models that depicted the relationships among the variables. The final model that showed the best fit to the data suggested that objective memory performance had no significant role to play in patients' subjective memory complaints. Depressive mood was found to be a significant factor that directly affected patient's subjective memory complaints and social support played an indirect role with depressive mood as a mediating variable. These findings suggest that memory complaints might be an indicator of mood disturbance and social support might be useful in ameliorating depressive mood and these complaints. The need of assessment of other cognitive functions in future research is also discussed.
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