Research On Social Support And Influential Factors Of HIV/AIDS Patients

Objective:To research the situation of HIV/AIDS patients today as they face complications of receiving social support, and to provide a discussion on the effects from other such societal factors for the sake of advancing psychology, social policies, and general knowledge of these socio-psychological issues.Method:Using an internally developed questionnaire based on Xiao ShuiYuan's social support rating(1983)to assess the source of each patient's social support, the study surveyed, in Shanghai, ninety (90) patients living with HIV/AIDS.From this study group, twenty (20) patients were selected for additional in-depth interviews to further understand the source(s) and influencing factor(s) of their social support.Result:Through this study, the key findings are as follows:Quantitative Portion(1)Social support for the studied HIV/AIDS patients was generally low. In all sources of support, each patient on average received help from only 1 to 2 other individuals.(2) Of the various sources of social support received, family was cited as the most frequent source, fellow HIV/AIDS patients were second, while support from social organizations, government, work units, hospitals, and friends was less frequent. (3)A discrepancy between the level of social support received by males and females was observed. Namely, the social support received by female HIV/AIDS patients with male partners was significantly less than the support received by male HIV/AIDS patients with female partners.Qualitative PortionThe results from the qualitative portion of the research reconfirmed the quantitative portion of the research. Furthermore, the qualitative portion of the research yielded the following results: (1)Stigma and discrimination are the prohibitive reasons why HIV/AIDS patients have few sources of social support. (2) Strong traditional Chinese family values escalated the family to become the most frequently cited source of support for patients with HIV/AIDS.The transition from the expanded family to the nuclear family contributed to the family support situation that patients living with HIV/AIDS received more support from their parents and spouse than their children. (3)Support from fellow HIV/AIDS patients was the second most frequently cited source of support for HIV/AIDS patients. (4) The unprofessional attitude of the social organizations along with the stigma towards the predominantly homosexual-lead social organizations rendered the current social organizations for HIV/AIDS patients ineffective. (5) The subordinate status of women, the emotionalism of women, and the double standard towards women's sexual activeness contributed to the situation that female patients living with HIV/AIDS received less support from their male partners than that received by male HIV/AIDS patients from their female partners.Conclusion:Social support for HIV/AIDS patients today is minimal, and the patients' support network is far from perfect. Reducing discrimination towards patients living with HIV/AIDS and improving relevant social problems are key to solving this lack of social support. Family support and fellow patient support were the two most frequently cited source of support, but there many problems also arise from these two sources.We should guide, support and improve these two sources of support. The support received from their male partner for female HIV/AIDS patients is significantly less than their male counterparts, and we should be more sensitive to this situation.