Ways of Coping Strategies in HIV/AIDS Patients

Each disease brings with it lot of additionally associated problems that the patient requires to cope with this additional burden and stress. Therefore, every patient has to cope with both the disease and the accompanying stresses in the form of biological, psychological and social problems. HIV/AIDS is also a disorder with high incidence and prevalence. It is a viral disease, which reduces the ability of immune system to defend the body against the introduction of foreign substances (antigens). Its negative impact on the individual and society itself is in alarming stage, as the disease is highly associated with a variety of loss, grief and stress. Each individual suffering from HIV/AIDS adopts a different style and strategy to cope with the disease. However, these patients can be enabled to cope with the disease related stress and worries by training them on appropriate ways of coping. The existing literature indicating about various methods categorized as better ways of coping with specific diseases but it is important to know what type of ways are being adopted by the patients and need to be changed for the success of interventions to teach appropriate ways of coping. Therefore, study aimed at assessing the patterns of emotion focused and problem focused ways of coping among HIV and AIDS patients. The present study was earned out in Haryana on 500 patients with HIV/AIDS having the age from 25 to 50 years (mean age 37.5 years). To assess and compare the coping styles adopted by HIV/AIDS patients, the selected subjects were tested with the ways of coping questionnaire by Folkman and Lazarus (1988). Frequencies of individual high on one type of coping (quartile based)and the mean of coping scores were calculated and analyzed. The Chi-square and 'f values reveal that most of the HIV/AIDS patients were going more with emotion focused coping than with problem focused coping.