Psychosocial correlates and the effects of behavioral interventions on the course of human immunodeficiency virus infection in homosexual men.

Abstract

The course of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) varies widely among individuals. It is hypothesized that some of the variation is due to psychosocial factors, including stressful life events, psychological distress, ways of coping with HIV infection, and the quality of the social network. This article reviews studies investigating the associations between these psychosocial factors and disease progression, and testing the effects of psychosocial interventions on immunological parameters in HIV-infected homosexual men. It is concluded that only a few studies have been done, which have yielded contradictory results so far. The inconsistencies may be partly due to the lack of a theoretical rationale interrelating the broad set of psychosocial and psychiatric measures assessed and driving the statistical hypotheses. As a theoretical model, the 'stress-coping-social support model' is proposed. Identifying psychosocial risk factors for progression can help in further developing psychosocial interventions that may slow down disease progression and enhance the effects of medical treatments.