Document 2147
 DOCN  M94A2147
 TI    Individual and community responses to loss: coping with HIV and AIDS
       grief.
 DT    9412
 AU    Braybrook T; French J; Kippax S; National Centre for HIV Social
       Research, Macquarie University,; NSW, Australia.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):370 (abstract no. PD0085). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94370428
 AB    OBJECTIVE: The objective of the research is to document the responses of
       individuals to the increasing number of deaths to AIDS among friends,
       lovers and family members. METHOD: 419 readers of the largest
       circulation (over 21,000) gay community newspaper in Australia completed
       a self-report questionnaire published on two occasions (one month apart)
       in late 1993. Questions concerned loss; responses to loss; self
       assessment of coping with loss; demographic and biographical details.
       Respondents were also invited to 'tell their own story' of loss.
       Descriptive statistics were used to examine the relationships between
       degree of loss and responses to and coping with loss. RESULTS: The
       respondents were predominantly well educated (68% tertiary trained) gay
       men (76%), aged between 30 and 49 years (72%). 26% were HIV seropositive
       and 46% were involved in either voluntary (31%) or paid (15%)
       AIDS-related work. Only 9% of the respondents had never experienced AIDS
       loss. In the 6 months prior to the survey, over 50% of respondents had
       lost one or more friends. Over 80% currently have seropositive friends
       and 42% of the sample were caring for friends who were ill. Responses to
       loss varied from community-based candlelight rallies (62%) to personal
       responses such as talking to a trusted friend (83%). 68% of the sample
       reported coping very well in general or most of the time with their
       loss; 31% that they were overwhelmed by it most or some of the time.
       Being overwhelmed was related to a range of variables, both AIDS
       community based and individual, in particular to the degree of loss and
       closeness of the experience. Two stories of loss illustrate coping
       responses.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/PSYCHOLOGY  *Adaptation,
       Psychological  Adult  *Attitude to Death  *Grief  Homosexuality  Human
       HIV Infections/*PSYCHOLOGY  Male  Middle Age  MEETING ABSTRACT

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).