PSYCHONEUROIMMUNE PATTERNS IN INDIVIDUALS INFECTED WITH THE HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS. (VOLUMES I AND II) (IMMUNE DEFICIENCY).
Contributors: University of Minnesota.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 337
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Clinical.; Health Sciences, Immunology.
Description: The purpose of this research was to examine relationships between and among psychological, neuroendocrine, and immune factors and to explore the lived experience of infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Although HIV infection provided the context for this study, findings have relevance for coping with other chronic life-threatening health conditions. Patterns of psychoneuroimmune interaction were identified, and the experience of HIV-infected individuals was described in terms of stressors, coping responses, and personal paradigm statements.

Results support the validity of psychoneuroimmune interactions in conjunction with a stress and coping theoretical framework (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) in an HIV-infected population. The patterns of relationship predicting more stable clinical and immune status included younger age, shorter duration of HIV infection, greater use of confrontive coping, higher repressive defensiveness, less use of supportant coping, higher reported Positive Affect, lower Negative Affect, higher dopamine excretion, and lower rates of norepinephrine and cortisol excretion.

Management of information disclosure, uncertainty regarding the evolution of HIV/AIDS "for me", and the ongoing impact of a positive HIV antibody test were the primary stressors identified by the subject group. Coping responses chosen as most valuable were living fully, reducing distress, and confrontation. Personal paradigm themes addressed a positive HIV test as a turning point, life review, emerging self-image, and creating or changing perspective.

The combined use of quantitative and qualitative methods produced complementary findings, and the qualitative data supported and elaborated upon the results of the quantitative measurement, adding richness, depth, and insights which could not be captured quantitatively. Subjects' evaluation of their research participation indicated that they perceived the qualitative and longitudinal characteristics of the research process as interventions.

Implications for nursing practice include the value of providing opportunities for clients to tell their stories and the need to support people infected with the HIV virus in dealing with information disclosure and minimizing uncertainty. Recommendations are made for intervention studies within a psychoneuroimmune framework and for data analysis strategies which are compatible with the interactive nature of such a framework.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-02, Section: B, page: 0745.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, 1992.

School code: 0130.