Illness concerns, attitudes towards homosexuality, and social support in gay men with AIDS. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1987. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Illness concerns, attitudes towards homosexuality, and social support in gay men with AIDS.

Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 1986 Nov;8(6):395-403. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/87081370
Wolcott DL; Namir S; Fawzy FI; Gottlieb MS; Mitsuyasu RT

Abstract: High levels of illness-related psychologic distress, marked social stigmatization and loss of social support, and negative internalized feelings towards homosexuality have previously been reported in homosexual men with the diagnosis of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). We assessed 50 homosexual or bisexual men who were within 3 months of their AIDS diagnosis with respect to medical status, illness concerns, attitudes towards homosexuality, and social support. Subjects reported levels of illness-related concerns comparable to previously studied cancer patients. Their attitudes towards homosexuality were similar to previously studied healthy homosexual males. Their social support needs were variable, as was their satisfaction with specific types of social support. Their social networks were moderately small. In this AIDS subject group, illness concerns, attitudes toward homosexuality, and social support satisfaction were significantly correlated with each other, and with previously reported levels of psychologic distress and subjective (but not objective) measures of health status.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*PSYCHOLOGY Adult *Attitude Gender Identity *Homosexuality Human Male Middle Age Opportunistic Infections/PSYCHOLOGY Psychological Tests Quality of Life Sarcoma, Kaposi's/PSYCHOLOGY *Sick Role Skin Neoplasms/PSYCHOLOGY *Social Environment *Social Support Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. JOURNAL ARTICLE

KWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/KWDpsychologyadultKWDattitudegenderidentityKWDhomosexualityhumanmalemiddleageopportunisticinfections/psychologypsychologicaltestsqualityoflifesarcoma,kaposi's/psychologyKWDsickroleskinneoplasms/psychologyKWDsocialenvironmentKWDsocialsupportsupport,uKWDsKWDgov't,pKWDhKWDsKWDjournalarticle
870430
M8740250

Copyright © 1987 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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