Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Embodied Work: Insider Perspectives On The Work Of Hiv/Aids Peer Counselors, D.K. Messias, L Moneyham, M. Vyavaharkar, C. Murdaugh, Kenneth D. Phillips

Kenneth D. Phillips

Our aim in this study was to explore HIV/AIDS peer counseling from the perspective of women actively engaged in this work within the context of a community-based program in rural areas of the southeastern United States. Based on this research we suggest that the embodied work of HIV/AIDS peer counselors is constructed around their personal identities and experiences. This work involves gaining entry to other HIV-positive women’s lives, building relationships, drawing on personal experiences, facing issues of fear and stigma, tailoring peer counseling for diversity, balancing risks and benefits, and terminating relationships. Peer counselors recognize the personal and collective value …

Patterns Of Risk Of Depressive Symptoms Among Hiv-Positive Women In The Southeastern United States, Linda Moneyham, Carolyn Murdaugh, Kenneth D. Phillips, Kirby Jackson, Abbas Tavakoli, Mary Boyd, Medha Vyavaharkar

Kenneth D. Phillips

Depressive symptoms are a common response to HIV disease, and women appear to be at particularly high risk. The authors report results from a crosssectional analysis of data collected from 280 rural women with HIV/AIDS in the Southeastern United States aimed at identifying risk factors of depressive symptoms. Stress theory provided a framework for identification of potential risk factors. Descriptive statistics, measures of association, and regression analyses were used to systematically identify patterns of risk. The final regression model included 22 factors that accounted for 69% of the variance in depressive symptoms. The majority of variance in depressive symptoms was …

Disclosure Of Hiv Infection: How Do Women Decide To Tell?, R.L. Sowell, B.F. Seals, Kenneth D. Phillips, C.H. Julious

Kenneth D. Phillips

This descriptive study explores the phenomenon of disclosure of HIV infection by women. Specifically, we examined women’s level of disclosure to various groups and how these disclosure decisions are made. The sample consisted of 322 HIV-infected women residing in the southern US. Participants were predominantly African-American, single women of reproductive age with yearly incomes less than $10 000. Data were collected at the first interview of a longitudinal study of reproductive decision making. Findings showed that the majority of the women had disclosed to some sex partners, close family and friends, and health care professionals. However, for a group of …

"None Of Us Will Ever Be The Same Again:" Reactions Of American Midlife Women To 9/11, Sandra Thomas

Sandra Thomas

According to terror management theory (TMT), an event that heightens awareness of death produces the need to defend against existential anxiety. The horrifying events of September 11, 2001 (9/11), created an unparalleled opportunity to apply TMT beyond the laboratory. This study examined post-9/11 stress (via perceived stress scale [PSS] scores) and interview responses of a diverse community sample of American midlife women (ages 35-60). Previous studies showed that many women have high stress during midlife, suggesting that 9/11 could have a unique impact on this segment of the U.S. population. Education of the sample ranged from 12 to 23 years. …

Incidence And Correlates Of Violence Among Hiv-Infected Women At Risk For Pregnancy In The Southeastern United States, R.L. Sowell, Kenneth D. Phillips, B. Seals, C. Murdaugh, C. Rush

Kenneth D. Phillips

To identify the incidence and correlates of physical and sexual violence among HIV-infected women at risk for pregnancy, a cross-sectional examination was conducted within a longitudinal study of reproductive decision making. Participants consisted of 275 HIVinfected women 17 to 49 years of age (mean = 30.1 years).Women were predominantly African American (87%) and single (82%), with annual incomes of $10,000 or less (66%). Overall, 68% of the women reported experiencing lifetime physical and/or sexual violence. Before becoming HIV infected, 65% of the women reported having been physically or sexually abused. After HIV diagnosis, 33% of the women reported experiencing physical …

Psychosocial And Physiologic Correlates Of Perceived Health Among Hiv-Infected Women, Kenneth D. Phillips, R.L. Sowell, C.J. Rush, C.L. Murdaugh

Kenneth D. Phillips

The purpose of this study was to identify factors related to perception of physical health in a cohort of HIV-infected women. A descriptive correlational design was used to identify factors influencing perceived physical health in a sample of 275 HIV-infected women in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Participants were predominantly single African-American women with household incomes of less than $10,000 per year.

Using Spearman’s rho, statistically significant positive correlations (p < .05) were found between perceived physical health and T helper cell count, hope, present life satisfaction, education, and income. Statistically significant positive correlations (p <.05) were observed between perceived physical health and three HIV-specific active coping styles (managing the illness, focusing on others, and positive thinking). Inverse relationships were observed between perceived physical health and HIVrelated symptoms, stage of illness, depression, physical and sexual violence experienced since becoming HIV-infected, history of drug use since becoming HIV-infected, and age. Using backward stepwise selection, 9 of 14 variables were retained in the final model that explained 60% of the variance in physical health at the p < .10 level of significance (R2 = .60). Variables that demonstrated a significant relationship with perceived physical health were HIV-related symptoms, depression, present life satisfaction, age, education, coping by managing the illness, coping through positive thinking, and coping by focusing on the present. These findings support the need to address the psychosocial as well as the physiologic factors associated with HIV/AIDS in developing comprehensive plans of nursing care.

Hiv-Infected Women And Motivation To Add Children To Their Families, R.L. Sowell, Kenneth D. Phillips, T.R. Misener

Kenneth D. Phillips

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify how susceptible women perceived their babies to be to perinatal transmission of HIV and to examine factors that influence a woman’s motivation to have a baby. The sample consisted of 45 African American women living in South Carolina and Georgia. Data were collected during face-to-face interviews. A researcher-developed scale, Motivation for Childbearing in HIV-Positive Women, provided reliable and valid data on factors that motivated or deterred a woman’s decision to have a baby. This study supported prior findings that HIV status is not the most important influence on a woman’s reproductive …