Perceptions of Health and Self-Care Learning Needs of Outpatients With HIV/AIDS

Abstract

Health promotion increases healthy behaviors, enhances health status, and decreases health care costs of chronically ill persons. As HIV has become a chronic illness, many HIV-positive persons may have health learning needs that affect their behaviors, health status, and health care costs. Health learning needs may be general or HIV specific. Social stigma may affect learning resource usage. We used Pender's Health Promotion Model and community-based health promotion principles as theoretical underpinnings for an exploratory study of perceived health and self-care learning needs, barriers, and preferred learning modalities of outpatients with HIV/AIDS. A nonrandom sample of 151 adults completed a researcher-designed self-report survey. Most (97%) expressed interest in health and self-care. Many identified multiple topics, learning barriers, and preferred learning modalities. A statistically significant difference (p=.027) was noted in communication needs of participants diagnosed with HIV versus AIDS. Findings have led to practice changes, health promotion activities, and further research.

Career Issues and Concerns for Persons Living With HIV/AIDS

“…Disclosure of the diagnosis may also result in vulnerability to violence, loss of employment, loss of relationships with significant others, exposure to societal prejudice, and stigmatization (Anderson & Rowe, 2006;Werth et al, 2008). Additionally, the decline of viral counts, hospital stays, deaths of fellow patients with AIDS, and confronting one's own mortality create another set of concerns and stress (Anderson & Rowe, 2006;Fisher, Fisher, Amico, & Harman, 2006;Joyce, Chan, Orlando, & Burnam, 2005;Mendias & Paar, 2007).…”

Health Promotion for People with Disabilities: A Primer for Rehabilitation Counsellors

“…Interventions focus on assisting individuals to create a realistic action plan by highlighting the benefits of a behaviour, teaching them how to overcome barriers to carrying out the behaviour, and inspiring self-efficacy and positive affect (Pender et al, 2006). It is an effective framework for health promotion interventions resulting in positive health outcomes in diabetes prevention (May & Rew, 2010), management of chronic cardiovascular disease (Han, Lee, Park, Park, & Cheol, 2005), self-care in outpatients with HIV/AIDS (Mendias & Parr, 2007), and increasing physical activity in individuals with spinal cord injury (Keegan, Chan, Ditchman, & Chiu, 2012).…”

Elderly Men’s Experience of Information Material about Melanoma—A Qualitative Study

“…However, another study of men with prostate cancer showed that they experienced and responded emotionally, but a deeper understanding of sense of self and ideas of manhood were implied [ 14 ]. In another study, outpatients infected with HIV/AIDS were described as having learning preferences with a broad and holistic view related to prevention and self-care learning needs that empowered them to be active co-planners in care [ 15 ]. Men often visit a physician due to their partner’s anxiety [ 16 ].…”