Men with HIV in Japan: HIV-Related Health Status, Adherence, and Stress Coping Ability

Abstract

Object: The aim of this study was to ascertain the associations between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related health status and stress coping capacity, and between adherence to taking medicine and stress-coping capacity among men living with HIV in Japan.
Methods: This study used data from the HIV Futures Japan national survey, which is an online cross-sectional design survey. This survey of people living with HIV in Japan was conducted from July 2013 to February 2014. Invalid responses were eliminated, resulting in 913 valid responses. The current study analyzed responses from 870 men under the age of 65. The mean age (SD) of those respondents was 38.2 years (8.0). The 13-item Sense of Coherence scale (SOC-13) was used as a stress-coping capacity indicator. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure mental health status. Respondents were divided into two groups for analysis: those who tested HIV-positive less than four years earlier and those who tested positive more than four years earlier.
Results: A significant association between one’s CD4 cell count, viral load, and adherence and one’s score on the SOC-13 was not noted. Partial correlation analysis was performed, controlled for years since testing HIV-positive and personal income, and significant correlations were found (p<.001). Testing HIV-positive less than 4 years earlier (ρ=−.57) and testing HIV-positive more than 4 years earlier (−.60) were inversely associated with the HADS-A score, and testing HIV-positive less than 4 years earlier (ρ=−.54) and testing HIV-positive more than 4 years earlier (ρ=−.62) were inversely associated with the HADS-D score.
Conclusion: The current results revealed that the salutogenic model is applicable to individuals living with HIV. A program must be created to improve the stress coping capacity of people living with HIV.