Loneliness, social support and family function of people living with HIV/AIDS in Anhui rural area, China

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate how loneliness was associated with social support and family function among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in an HIV-stricken area of China. Two hundred and nineteen PLWHA were surveyed using the UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles)-Loneliness Scale, the Social Support Rate Scale and the Family APGAR (Adaptability, Partnership, Growth, Affection and Resolve) Index. The results indicated that the majority (84.5%) of PLWHA had moderate to high levels of loneliness, with a mean score of 47.62 and a standardized score of 59.53. The level of loneliness was significantly different in subjects' occupations, but not in other sociodemographic variables. Social support, family function and all dimensions except utilizations of support were significantly negatively associated with loneliness. Multiple regression revealed that less social support and poor family function were associated with more loneliness. In conclusion, loneliness prevails among PLWHA. It may limit PLWHA's ability or access to social relationship. These findings support the hypothesis that if PLWHA are better supported and cared for, their negative psychosocial consequences might be prevented or at least reduced.

Stigma and resilience: Lived experiences of people with HIV in a northern community.

“…However, majority of participants did not receive any support from their immediate family and this was linked to a range of negative outcomes, including social withdrawal and loneliness, risk-taking behavior, increased risk and overall negative social and psychological outcomes. These findings were congruent with other researches (Sun et al, 2009;Grov, Golub, Parsons, Brennan & Karpiak, 2010;Alpass & Neville, 2003).…”

“…Participant 2 shared, "There were times where it was very tough where I was borderline suicidal and there were some days I struggled with my internal feelings of having this disease." Similar findings were also presented by Sun et al, (2009) and Alpass & Neville (2003).…”

“…Some participants shared that having the support of their family provided them with emotional support, unconditional love, and care. Maintaining connections with family and friends were crucial for PLWHA and this contributed to their sense of self, psychological wellbeing, and social competence (Sun et al, 2009). The support and love that participants received in this study resulted in them making better choices in the management of their disease, and feeling empowered.…”

Size, Composition, and Strength of Ties of Personal Social Support Networks Among Adult People Living with HIV/AIDS in Henan and Beijing, China

“…Questionnaires were administered through face-to-face interviews by trained study staff on September [23][24][25][26][27][28][29]2009 in Henan and on October 25-November 2, 2009 in Beijing. In order to guarantee the quality of survey data, this study was supervised by postgraduate students from Peking University School of Public Health.…”

“…Only a few quantitative social support studies of PLWHA have been conducted in China, most using the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), which was developed by Xiao for non-PLWHA Chinese in 1986 [26,27].…”