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Religious Coping and Physiological, Psychological, Social, and Spiritual Outcomes in Patients with HIV/AIDS: Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Findings

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Abstract

The present study investigated the relationships between positive religious coping (e.g., seeking spiritual support) and spiritual struggle (e.g., anger at God) versus viral load, CD4 count, quality of life, HIV symptoms, depression, self-esteem, social support, and spiritual well-being in 429 patients with HIV/AIDS. Data were collected through patient interview and chart review at baseline and 12–18 months later from four clinical sites. At baseline, positive religious coping was associated with positive outcomes while spiritual struggle was associated with negative outcomes. In addition, high levels of positive religious coping and low levels of spiritual struggle were associated with small but significant improvements over time. These results have implications for assessing religious coping and designing interventions targeting spiritual struggle in patients with HIV/AIDS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA

    Kelly M. Trevino, Kenneth I. Pargament & Carol Ann Caprini-Faigin

  2. 453 Washington St. Apt. 2, Braintree, MA, 02184, USA

    Kelly M. Trevino

  3. Department of Family Medicine, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Sian Cotton

  4. Institute for the Study of Health, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Sian Cotton, Anthony C. Leonard & Joel Tsevat

  5. Consumer and Market Knowledge, Procter and Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    June Hahn

  6. Cincinnati VA Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Joel Tsevat

  7. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Joel Tsevat

Authors
  1. Kelly M. Trevino
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  2. Kenneth I. Pargament
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  3. Sian Cotton
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  4. Anthony C. Leonard
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  5. June Hahn
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  6. Carol Ann Caprini-Faigin
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  7. Joel Tsevat
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Correspondence to Kelly M. Trevino.

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The first author was previously published as Kelly M. McConnell.

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Trevino, K.M., Pargament, K.I., Cotton, S. et al. Religious Coping and Physiological, Psychological, Social, and Spiritual Outcomes in Patients with HIV/AIDS: Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Findings. AIDS Behav 14, 379–389 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9332-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9332-6

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