This descriptive longitudinal study will examine the Transtheoretical Model of behavior change in a non-epicenter HIV positive (+) population and describe more comprehensive criterion measures of health status than those evaluated in other HIV stress management studies. The primal purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among stress, behavior change indicators, the existing use of stress management self- care practices, and health status in a non-epicenter HIV+ population over six months. The first specific aim is to describe stress, behavior change indicators, the use of existing stress management self-care practices (SMSCP), and HIV health status in a non-epicenter HIV+ population at time 1 and time 2.
The second aim i s to examine the relationships among stress, behavior change indicators, the use of SMSCP, and HIV health status at time 1 and time 2.
The third aim i s to describe and examine changes in the relationships among stress, behavior change indicators, the use of SMSCP, and HIV health status over time. A total of 120 self- selected PWHIV in two HIV clinical categories (A: asymptomatic, B: symptomatic) from non-epicenter areas in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania will comprise the sample. Baseline scores from measures to assess the study, variables will be compared to scores when measures are repeated at six months. Data analysis will focus on descriptive and summary statistics, the Pearson product-moment correlation or Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, and hierarchical multiple regression. A long term goal for this study is to expand this descriptive work by developing and testing stress management interventions specific to the person's stage of change and their stage of HIV infection.
| Riley, Tracy A; Fava, Joseph L (2003) Stress and transtheoretical model indicators of stress management behaviors in HIV-positive women. J Psychosom Res 54:245-52 |
| Riley, T A; Toth, J M; Fava, J L (2000) The Transtheoretical Model and stress management practices in women at risk for, or infected with, HIV. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care 11:67-77 |
