Physical and Mental Health in African American Mothers With HIV

Abstract

This article examines the physical and mental health of African American mothers during a 2-year period following the birth of an infant seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Participants were 34 African American mothers enrolled when the infants were approximately 3 months of age and reinterviewed when the infants were 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Three self-report questionnaires were used to assess physical health (perception of health, activity limitation, and physical symptoms) and mental health (depressive symptoms and stigma). Health symptoms most often reported were infections, problems thinking and remembering, low energy, and gynecologic problems. Moderate levels of perceived stigma were reported. Depressive symptoms were high; a large number of women at each data point had depressive symptom scores above the cutoff, indicating risk for depression. There were significant correlations between depressive symptoms and health, suggesting a link between mental and physical health. These findings have significance for the health of the mother and the parenting of her infant. Attention should be paid to the mental and physical health of mothers with HIV, especially during the first 2 years after the birth of a child.

A Model of Quality of Life of Women Living With HIV

“…Finally, as in several other studies, the model underlines the association of better physical functioning with better mental health (Comer et al, 2000;Johnson Silver et al, 2003;Miles et al, 2001Miles et al, , 2007Moneyham, Sowell, Seals, & Demi, 2000;Murphy et al, 2006;Van Servellen et al, 2002). This association was also documented in the study by Johnson Silver et al (2003), demonstrating that WLHIV with greater limitations in terms of their daily activities (difficulty caring for children, difficulty completing their work or household task, or mobility problems) experience more symptoms of depression.…”

“…The dimensions most commonly studied with respect to PLHIV are mental health and physical functioning (Skevington & O'Connell, 2003). These dimensions are interdependent (Remple, Hilton, Ratner, & Burdge, 2004) and the complexity of the connections that tie them together has been raised numerous times in the literature (Johnson Silver, Bauman, Camacho, & Hudis, 2003;Miles, Gillespie, & Holditch-Davis, 2001;Miles, Holditch-Davis, Pedersen, Eron, & Schwartz, 2007;Murphy, Marelich, Dello Stritto, Swendeman, & Witkin, 2002;Van Servellen, Aguirre, Sarna, & Brecht, 2002). With the advent of ART, PLHIV can foresee the future with more optimism.…”

Adjustment of Adolescents of Parents Living with HIV

“…For HIV infected parents, alcohol and illicit drug use represent a significant problem (Coyle 1998; Goldstein et al 2005) with 76% of HIV infected mothers reporting at least one drug use (Lee, Lester, and Rotheram-Borus 2002). In addition, studies have shown that HIV-infected women are at high risk for psychiatric disorders (e.g., major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder) and psychological distress (McDaniel et al 1995; Miles, Gillespie, and Holditch-Davis 2001; Morrison et al 2002; Murphy et al 2002) with rates of mental health problems greater than comparison groups of uninfected mothers from similar inner-city communities (Morrison et al 2002). Given the high rates of comorbid substance abuse and psychiatric disorders in HIV-infected parents, the potential inheritability of these disorders, and the potential negative impact on parenting practices, the adolescents of PWH may be at risk for poor emotional and behavioral health outcomes.…”

Factors associated with postpartum physical and mental morbidity among women with known HIV status in Lusaka, Zambia

“…Most studies of HIV status and maternal mental health have been conducted in developed countries and few have covered the antenatal and postpartum period. Known HIV-positive status in mothers in these setting has been associated with depressive symptoms and poor actual or perceived physical health (Bennetts et al, 1999;Blaney et al, 2004;Jones et al, 2001;Larrabee et al, 1996;Miles et al, 2001;Murphy, D. A., et al, 2002;Murphy, L. M., et al, 1999;Richardson et al, 2001;Silver et al, 2003). Of particular concern is our lack of knowledge about the impact on mothers' mental health of positive antenatal HIV test results.…”