Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Family Functioning And Motivation For Childbearing Among Hiv-Infected Women At Increased Risk For Pregnancy, B.C. Latham, R.L. Sowell, Kenneth D. Phillips

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

This study examined family composition and functioning in a cohort of HIVinfected women of reproductive age living in the southern United States. Participants were predominantly single (82.2%), African American women (86.7%) with annual incomes of less than $10,000 (65.5%), with a mean age of 31.2 years. Using the Family Apgar Scale as a measure of perceived family functioning, women reported that their families functioned moderately well. Multiple regression analysis showed that level of education, life satisfaction, and coping through avoidance and coping by seeking social support were positively associated with family functioning. In contrast, a history of interpersonal verbal violence …

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

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

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.

Effects Of Individualized Acupuncture On Sleep Quality In Hiv Disease, Kenneth D. Phillips, W.D. Skelton

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

Although it may begin at any point, sleep disturbance often appears early in HIV disease and contributes to decreased quality of life during the course of the illness. Relatively few studies have explored the complex nature of poor sleep quality in HIV disease or tested interventions to improve sleep quality. The purpose of this study was threefold: explore the nature of sleep quality in HIV disease, test the relationship between pain and sleep quality, and test the effectiveness of acupuncture delivered in a group setting for improving sleep quality in those who are HIV infected. A pretest, post-test, pre-experimental design …

The "Good-Enough Dissertation:" A Modest Proposal, Sandra Thomas

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

This article addresses the paralysis of perfectionism, a factor in the failure of a doctoral candidate to complete the dissertation. A remedy is proposed.

Teaching Healthy Anger Management, Sandra Thomas

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

TOPIC. Teaching anger management in the community.

PURPOSE. To describe anger management and offer guidelines for assessing potential participants and teaching healthy behaviors.

SOURCES. Drawing from the literature, more than 10 years of quantitative and qualitative studies by our research team, and 5 years of experience in conducting anger management groups, the author presents basic principles of teaching anger management. A model is described for a 4-week group for women.

CONCLUSIONS. Anger management has wide applicability to a variety of constituencies for both primary and secondary prevention. Advanced practice psychiatric nurses are well-qualified to provide this psychoeducational intervention.

The View From The Edge Of The Cauldron, Sandra Thomas

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

No abstract provided.