Family Resiliency, Uncertainty, Optimism, and the Quality of Life of Individuals with Hiv/aids

The purpose of the study was to contribute to the understanding of quality of life as it is experienced by a community-based, non-clinical sample of individuals with HIV/AIDS, applying family resiliency theory and the cognitive appraisal concepts. More specifically, the following variables were examined as predictors of quality of life: disease progression; the family resiliency variables of family problem solving and coping ability, family resources, and family appraisal of the diagnosis; and the cognitive appraisal variables of uncertainty and optimism. Through the use of a Web-based survey, 147 individuals with HIV/AIDS completed an online questionnaire, defining family broadly and in their own way, and responding to instruments measuring disease progression and their perceptions of family resiliency, cognitive appraisal and quality of life. Disease progression as measured by CD4 count, was not found to be related to quality of life. When considered separately, both the family resiliency variables and the cognitive appraisal variables were found to predict quality of life. However, when entered after disease progression and cognitive appraisal variables in a hierarchical regression equation, the family resiliency variables were not found to add significantly to the prediction of quality of life, due to the intercorrelations between the family resiliency and cognitive appraisal variables. One important consideration in interpreting the results is that a number of individuals who lived alone indicated that they were unable to respond to the family resiliency measures, and living situation may be an important factor in the influence of family resiliency variables in predicting quality of life. The overall prediction model, comprised of the three sets of predictor variables, was found to explain over 60% of the variance in quality of life. The results may be helpful in understanding the quality of life of individuals with HIV/AIDS and may be of assistance to professionals in identifying needed interventions and service delivery options.