Original Articles

The Effect of Psycho-Social Problems on Risky Behaviors in People Living With HIV in Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Objective: Over the past years, the prevalence and the progression rate of HIV infection in Iran especially through high-risk sexual relationships have regrettably been reported at very high levels. This cross-sectional study tries to analyze stigma, mental health, and coping skills on risky behaviors in HIV-positive adults in Tehran- Iran.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 450 HIV-positive adults. Participants completed a socio-demographic questionnaire, the General HealthQuestionnaire-28, the Berger HIV Stigma Scale as well as the Lazarus Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WOCQ). To analyze the data, the independent-samples t-test and Pearson Correlation were used.
Results: The findings of this study revealed that mental health, stigma, and avoidance-escape coping mechanisms were correlated with risky behaviors (p ˂ 0.05).Furthermore, the amount of stigma among female individuals compared to men was reported at higher levels and mental health status in the given group was lower than among male individuals.
Conclusion: It seems that psychological treatment techniques could be effective in improving mental health and reducing risky behaviors.

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SectionOriginal Articles
Keywords
Stigma Psychiatric Disorders Coping Mechanisms Risky Behaviors Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS)
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How to Cite
1.
Rasoolinejad M, Abedinia N, Noorbala AA, Mohraz M, Bayat Jozani Z, Moradmand Badie B. The Effect of Psycho-Social Problems on Risky Behaviors in People Living With HIV in Tehran, Iran. J Family Reprod Health. 2018;12(2):89-95.