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Illness perceptions and coping strategies among individuals diagnosed with HIV

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Abstract

Illness perceptions can influence the coping strategies used in response to HIV-related stressors, and ultimately patients’ clinical status. With this work, we aimed to: (1) identify illness perception-related profiles of HIV-positive patients; (2) evaluate the association between the profiles, illness-related coping strategies, HIV-progression biomarkers (CD4+ cell counts and viral load) and antiretroviral therapy use. Data about illness perceptions, HIV-related coping strategies and HIV-progression biomarkers (CD4+ and viral load) were collected from 248 Italian HIV-positive patients. Three latent classes (“high,” “moderate” and “low” influence perception) that differed on consequences, emotional representation, personal control and identity were identified. A greater perception of illness influence was associated with dysfunctional coping strategies (e.g., passive coping and alcohol use), and greater viral load was observed among patients with high and moderate influence perception. In conclusion, patients with detectable or high viral load may show a greater perception of illness influence (i.e., consequences), which is associated with dysfunctional coping strategies in response to HIV-related stressors.

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Conflict of interest

A. Norcini Pala and P. Steca declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and animal rights and Informed Consent

All procedures followed were in accordance with ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

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  1. HIV Center, 3rd Floor, Room 339, New York State Psychiatric Institute and College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 15, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    A. Norcini Pala

  2. Department of Psychology, Milano-Bicocca University, Milan, Italy

    P. Steca

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  1. A. Norcini Pala
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  2. P. Steca
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Norcini Pala, A., Steca, P. Illness perceptions and coping strategies among individuals diagnosed with HIV. J Behav Med 38, 620–631 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-015-9639-0

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