"I'm Not Going to Die from the AIDS": Resilience in Aging with HIV Disease

Emlet, Charles A.; Tozay, Shakima; Raveis, Victoria H.

doi:10.1093/geront/gnq060

Cited by 174 publications

(162 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Examples of HIV-positive gay men and other PLHIV displaying resilience while adapting to their HIV diagnosis or in the face of adversities such as discrimination have also been described in a number of qualitative studies [14,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychosocial Factors Associated with Resilience in a National Community-Based Cohort of Australian Gay Men Living with HIV

2016

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HIV-positive gay men may experience multiple sources of adversity and stress, related both to their HIV diagnosis and sexual identity. Most of these men, however, do not experience mental health problems. Little is known about factors that help them achieve resilience in the face of life challenges. This study examined psychosocial factors associated with resilience in a national community-based sample of 357 Australian HIV-positive gay men. Resilience was measured using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Higher levels of resilience were linked with experiencing low or no internalized HIV-related stigma, having no previous history of mental health problems, and a number of socioeconomic indicators. In addition to providing a more complete picture of the mental health of HIV-positive gay men, findings from this study can be used to inform strength-based approaches to mental health prevention and support.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychosocial Factors Associated with Resilience in a National Community-Based Cohort of Australian Gay Men Living with HIV

2016

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“…To date, research that has focused on resilience among people living with HIV in the US has focused almost exclusively on adults, [38][39][40][41][42][43] with a particular emphasis on older adults. [44][45][46] The population and context-specific nature of resilience calls for attention to the potential role of race and ethnicity in the development and promotion of resilience among YGBM living with HIV, especially if such information will be used for the development of culturally appropriate secondary prevention interventions. 26 In addition to the oppressive forces these youth may experience related to their sexual orientation and HIV status, African American and Latino YGBM living with HIV may experience additional layers of oppression related to their social and cultural identities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resilience Processes Demonstrated by Young Gay and Bisexual Men Living with HIV: Implications for Intervention

Harper

Bruce

Hosek

et al. 2014

AIDS Patient Care and STDs

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Given the increasing numbers of young gay/bisexual men (YGBM) diagnosed with HIV, it is important to understand the resilience processes enacted by this population in order to develop interventions that support their healthy development. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 54 YGBM (ages 17 to 24; 57% African American, 22% Latino) living with HIV from four geographically diverse clinics in the United States. Resilience processes clustered into four primary thematic areas: (1) engaging in health-promoting cognitive processes; (2) enacting healthy behavioral practices; (3) enlisting social support from others; and (4) empowering other young gay/bisexual men. These data suggest that YGBM living with HIV demonstrate resilience across multiple dimensions, including intrapersonal-level resilience related to individual cognitions and behaviors, as well as interpersonal-level resilience related to seeking support and providing support to others. Implications for the development of culturally-appropriate and strengths-based secondary prevention and other psychosocial interventions for YGBM living with HIV are discussed.

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“…Even though a fair amount of knowledge is available regarding various biological factors in HIV infection with advancing age (e.g., with menopause, the vaginal wall becomes thinner and more likely to experience microscopic tears during intercourse; individuals are more likely to experience side effects from antiviral medications due to a general decline in liver function with age), significantly less is known about the psychological and cultural aspects of infection. For example, limited information is available about the extent to which older adults experience discrimination and stigma, the psychological well-being of infected elders (Emlet et al 2011), and the mechanisms that may underlie cultural and population differences in rate of infection. In the U.S., for example, African-American and Hispanic older adults are 12 and 5 times significantly more likely, respectfully, to receive a diagnosis of HIV than their White counterparts (CDC 2010).…”

Section: Contributions To the Special Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based upon these gaps in the literature, various recommendations can be made for future research. Although increasing numbers of researchers are beginning to study various aspects of HIV/AIDS among older adults, including prevention, treatment, psychological health, and stigma, little is known about this group's apparent resilience and unique personal strengths (e.g., Emlet et al 2011) in the face of this now typically chronic rather than deadly infection. The study of elders living with HIV/AIDS must be expanded to non-Western countries and cultures.…”

Section: Directions For Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Call for an Integrated Biopsychosocial Model to Address Fundamental Disconnects in an Emergent Field: An Introduction to the Special Issue on “Sexuality and Aging”

Hillman

2011

Ageing Int

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This special issue of Ageing International is designed to highlight the clinicians, researchers, and public policy makers who focus upon the intersection of sexuality and aging. A theoretical, biopsychosocial model is introduced in response to a variety of apparent paradoxes in the field (e.g., although nearly 1 in 5 new AIDS cases are among adults over the age of 65, no federally funded programs exist for HIV prevention among this age group, and although virtually all findings in the literature are based upon men and women from North American and Western European nations, China boasts the largest population of older adults worldwide). Consistent with this integrated approach, contributors to the special issue provide emergent information in relation to HIV and AIDS among older men and women, cross-cultural perspectives on sexuality and aging within Chinese and Ugandan culture, sexuality within the context of long-term care, and clinical approaches to erectile dysfunction. Directions for future research also are offered.

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"I'm Not Going to Die from the AIDS": Resilience in Aging with HIV Disease

Cited by 174 publications

References 17 publications

Psychosocial Factors Associated with Resilience in a National Community-Based Cohort of Australian Gay Men Living with HIV

Psychosocial Factors Associated with Resilience in a National Community-Based Cohort of Australian Gay Men Living with HIV

Resilience Processes Demonstrated by Young Gay and Bisexual Men Living with HIV: Implications for Intervention

A Call for an Integrated Biopsychosocial Model to Address Fundamental Disconnects in an Emergent Field: An Introduction to the Special Issue on “Sexuality and Aging”

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