Solution-Focused Therapy in The Management of Psychological Distress Among Newly Diagnosed People Living with HIV/AIDS in Ibadan, Nigeria (Published)
This study investigates the efficacy of Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) in the management of psychological distress among newly diagnosed people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. A pretest – posttest control group quasi experimental design with 2 x 2 factorial matrix was used for the study with Health Locus of Control (HLC) as a moderator. Purposive sampling technique was utilised to select three hospitals in Ibadan; and 40 newly diagnosed PLWHA were assigned to SFT (23) and the control (17) group. Data were analysed using analysis of covariance and bonferonni Pair-wise test at 0.05 level of significance. There was significant main effect of treatment on psychological distress of newly diagnosed PLWHA (F (2.33) = 4.11, ῆ2 = 0.15). The SFT was more effective in the management of psychological distress among the participants. There was also significant main effect of HLC on the psychological distress of newly diagnosed PLWHA. There was significant effect of interaction between treatment and health locus of control on psychological distress of people leaving with HIV/AIDS (F (2.31) = 10.391; ῆ2= 0.251). Similarly, there was no significant interaction effect of treatment and health locus of control on psychological distress; F (1,31) = .220, p>0.05, η2= 0.007. The study recommends that health care providers and policy makers should be sensitive to the fact that people who are infected with HIV do experience a variety of psychological distresses as well as increased depression, hopelessness, anxiety and fatigue.
Keywords: Health locus of control, People living with HIV/AIDS, Psychological Distress, Solution-focused therapy
HIV/AIDS Stigmatization on Relatives and Associates of People Living with HIV/AIDS: A Psychological Study (Published)
The present study examined HIV/AIDS stigmatization on relatives and associates of people living with HIV/AIDS in Ghana. After seeking informed consent from relatives and associates of HIV/AIDS patients on hand at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, using purposive sampling technique, a sample of 60 responded to the HIV Stigma Scale and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. One Way Analysis of variance, Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Independent t-test were the statistical tools used for the analysis of the 3 hypotheses. Analysis of results indicates that no significant difference exists between the levels of stigma experienced by various associates of patients with HIV/AIDS. However, female associates of children with HIV/AIDS experienced more stigma than their male counterparts. The study found no significant relationship between stigma level and psychological distress among relatives and associates of the patients living with HIV/AIDS. From the Ghanaian setting, it is conclusive that regardless of the nature of relationship existing between people living with HIV/AIDS and their significant others, some level of stigma is still experienced across board. The implications of the study were discussed in line with the literature and the concept of Indigenous Cultural and Family Insurance
Keywords: : HIV/AIDS Patients, Associates, Ghana, Indigenous Cultural and Family Insurance Concept, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Psychological Distress, Stigmatization