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Gender Differences in HIV-Related Coping and Depression

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Abstract

Our study examined differences in HIV-related coping in relation to depression in men and women. Ethnically diverse participants (n = 247, 46% women) were recruited in Dallas/Fort Worth and completed medical and demographic information, the Coping with HIV Scale (CHIV), and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale (CES-D). Multiple regression analyses revealed that in men, depression was associated with symptoms, higher use of distraction, blame, expression and lower use of positive growth. In women, depression was associated with symptoms and higher use of blame. These results shed light on the ways in which each gender copes with HIV and may help researchers develop interventions tailored to the needs of the HIV-positive population.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by a faculty research grant from the University of North Texas. We would like to thank AIDS Outreach Center, Catholic Charities of Fort Worth, Tarrant County AIDS Interfaith Network, Dallas Resource Center, and AIDS Services of North Texas, as well as the student and faculty members of The Center for Psychosocial Health at the University of North Texas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Psychosocial Health, Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #311280, Denton, TX, 76203-1280, USA

    Mark Vosvick, Luci A. Martin & Sharon Rae Jenkins

  2. McGill University, 3700 McTavish Street, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A 1Y2

    Nathan Grant Smith

Authors
  1. Mark Vosvick
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  2. Luci A. Martin
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  3. Nathan Grant Smith
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  4. Sharon Rae Jenkins
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Correspondence to Mark Vosvick.

Appendix A

Appendix A

Table 6 Ways of coping with HIV subscales and items
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Vosvick, M., Martin, L.A., Smith, N.G. et al. Gender Differences in HIV-Related Coping and Depression. AIDS Behav 14, 390–400 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-008-9490-1

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