Depression among HIV/AIDS Patients: A Study With Reference to Social Support and Optimism

The aim of the present investigation was to study the impact of the level of social support and optimism on depression. A sample of 180 rural and 180 urban HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndromes (AIDS) patients were administered by Derogatis's symptom check list-90-R revised scale, Mehra and Kalhora's social support scale and Scheier and Carver's the life orientation test. One-way analysis of variance technique yielded that there was a significant effect of social support and optimism on depression. The level of depression was higher among group of less social support and less optimism HIV/AIDS patient than the other (moderate and high) groups.