VALIDATION OF NURSING'S HUMAN NEED THEORY IN PERSONS WITH HIV INFECTION.
Contributors: University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 99
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Social.
Description: This study assessed the underlying validity of Nursing's Human Need Theory (Yura & Walsh, 1983, 1988) with a particular focus on selected propositions. In addition, the human needs of persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection were described for both asymptomatic and symptomatic groups.

Propositions of the theoretical framework selected were used and served as the springboard for the deduction of hypotheses. Several areas were investigated to include the relationship between human need importance and human need fulfillment, between human need importance and age; between human need fulfillment and significant others, demographic variables, and length of time diagnosed. Other areas included determining if there was a difference in human need fulfillment and human need disturbance in HIV asymptomatic and HIV symptomatic persons.

A convenience sample of 115 (95 symptomatic and 20 asymptomatic) was obtained from community based HIV support groups within a large southeastern metropolis. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to measure ten closeness needs. Five experts critiqued the tool for clarity of content and construct validity. An alpha coefficient of.955 was calculated to measure internal consistency.

Data generated by this study statistically supported a relationship between human need importance, religious preference, and length of duration of HIV infection. There were no significant relationships between human need importance and age; between human need fulfillment and significant others, and demographic variables; and differences in human need fulfillment and human need disturbance between asymptomatic and symptomatic groups.

There was evidence to support dimensions of Nursing's Human Need Theory which has implications for nursing practice and nursing research. Nurses are encouraged to use the theoretical framework to guide nursing care of individuals with HIV infection. Nurses must elicit input from the individual with HIV infection when assessing human need fulfillment since individuals determine the priority of their human needs. Suggestions for avenues of further research include replications of this study focusing on assessment of the survival and freedom need categories and studies that validate the utility of a human needs framework within the nursing process.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-08, Section: B, page: 3776.

Thesis (D.S.N.)--UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM, 1990.

School code: 0005.