Document 0204
 DOCN  M95B0204
 TI    Carers' burden and adjustment to HIV.
 DT    9511
 AU    Pakenham KI; Dadds MR; Terry DJ; University of Queensland, Australia.
 SO    AIDS Care. 1995;7(2):189-203. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/95345147
 AB    Empirical evidence from well designed studies into the effects on carers
       of caring for a person with HIV is lacking. This study investigated the
       correlates of carers' burden and adjustment to their caring for a person
       with HIV. Thirty-four carers and their HIV-infected patients were
       interviewed and completed self-administered scales. Measures included
       two psychosocial adjustment indices, a Problem Checklist (burden) and
       two patient health status indices. The most common elements of carer's
       burden were distressing emotions, relationship difficulties, somatic
       symptoms, and grief. Demographic variables, patient's HIV stage, nature
       of caregiving relationship and duration of caregiving were unrelated to
       carers' burden or adjustment. However, living arrangement was found to
       be significantly associated with carers' burden, with those carers
       co-residing experiencing more burden than those living apart from the
       patient. Carers' coping strategies were only weakly related to carer's
       adjustment and burden. The patients' emotional and existential concerns
       were strongly positively related to carers' burden and all domains of
       adjustment, while patients' instrumental concerns and measures of
       patients' health status were positively related to carers' burden. As
       predicted, patients had significantly poorer levels of adjustment than
       carers. The findings supported the use of a reciprocal determinism
       approach for understanding the relationship between the patient and
       carer and adjustment outcomes.
 DE    *Adaptation, Psychological  Adolescence  Adult  Aged
       Caregivers/*PSYCHOLOGY  *Cost of Illness  Emotions  Female  Health
       Status  Human  HIV Infections/NURSING/*PSYCHOLOGY  Male  Middle Age
       Problem Solving  Questionnaires  Residence Characteristics  Support,
       Non-U.S. Gov't  JOURNAL ARTICLE

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