Self-efficacy and distress in women with AIDS: the SMART/EST women's project

Abstract

Though African American and Hispanic women accounted for 14% of the female population in the US, they represented 66% of the total HIV/AIDS diagnoses among women in 2007. Among men living with HIV, increased coping self efficacy following a cognitive behavioral intervention has been related to decreased distress, anxiety, anger and confusion, but comparable studies had not been carried out with HIV+ women.The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of changes in self efficacy following a cognitive behavioral stress management/expressive supportive therapy (CBSM+) intervention on depression and anxiety in low income, urban predominantly minority women living with AIDS. Women (n = 451) were randomized to a group CBSM+ or individual informational intervention condition and completed baseline, post-intervention and long-term follow-up (12 months) assessments of depression, anxiety and self efficacy. Women who were assigned to the CBSM+ group condition and increased their level of cognitive behavioral self efficacy reported significant decreases in anxiety and depression at post-intervention and long-term follow-up in comparison with controls who did not improve. Results suggest that both cognitive behavioral skills and a concomitant increase in the perceived level of self efficacy in the use of those skills are predictive of distress reduction.

Translation of a comprehensive health behavior intervention for women living with HIV: the SMART/EST Women's Program

“…Translation of behavioral interventions for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) that addresses multiple risk behaviors is especially appropriate, as PLWHAs have been identified as being at increased risk of comorbid health conditions, such as cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, depression, diabetes, and addiction [3,4]. In addition, psychiatric disorders have also been associated with decrements in essential health behaviors for PLWHAs (e.g., antiretroviral medication adherence [5][6][7][8][9] and medical appointment attendance [10,11]) and with poorer overall mental health and quality of life [12,13].…”

Facilitators of and barriers to HIV self-management: Perspectives of HIV-positive women in China

“…Women living with HIV/AIDS struggle especially to manage the many daily tasks and HIV-related symptoms (Jones et al, 2010; Marion et al, 2009; Shannon & Lee, 2008). The social context in which this self-management happens is important, and the various social roles that women perform can facilitate or hinder them from completing their self-management tasks (Webel & Higgins, 2011).…”

“…For HIV-positive women, managing the disease is a major concern—particularly in cultures where women have little power to regulate their sexual availability to men and are thus at increased risk for exposure to HIV (Dickens, 2008). The concerns for Chinese women living with HIV include stigma, serostatus disclosure, medication access, medication adherence, and continuation of family obligations (Jones et al, 2010; Marion et al, 2009; Voss, Portillo, Holzemer, & Dodd, 2007). There is very limited research focusing on interventions for HIV-positive women in Chinese culture, particularly in the context of self-management.…”

HIV-positive African-American women’s perspectives on engaging communities in the response to HIV/AIDS in Washington, D.C.

“…Group-level, cognitive-based, active coping strategies that emphasize self-efficacy have been shown to be effective in decreasing depression in HIV-positive African Americans (Cruess et al, 2002;Jones et al, 2010). Church-based interventions have also been implemented with mixed results.…”