Impact of structured support groups for pregnant South African women recently diagnosed HIV positive

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Authors

Mundell, Jonathan Peter
Visser, M.J. (Maretha Johanna)
Makin, J.D. (Jennifer Dianne)
Kershaw, Trace S.
Forsyth, Brian William Cameron
Jeffery, Bridget
Sikkema, Kathleen J.

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Volume Title

Publisher

Routledge

Abstract

The authors of this study evaluated a structured 10-session psy- chosocial support group intervention for newly HIV-diagnosed pregnant South African women. Participants were expected to display increases in HIV disclosure, self-esteem, active coping and positive social support, and decreases in depression, avoidant coping, and negative social support. Three hundred sixty-one pregnant HIV-infected women were recruited from four antenatal clinics in Tshwane townships from April 2005 to September 2006. Using a quasi-experimental design, assessments were conducted at baseline and two and eight months post-intervention. A series of random effects regression analyses were conducted, with the three assessment points treated as a random effect of time. At both follow-ups, the rate of disclosure in the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the comparison group (p < 0.001). Compared to the comparison group at the first follow-up, the intervention group displayed higher levels of active coping (t = 2.68, p < 0.05) and lower levels of avoidant coping (t = -2.02, p < 0.05), and those who attended at least half of the intervention sessions exhibited improved self-esteem (t = 2.11, p < 0.05). Group interventions tailored for newly HIV positive pregnant women, implemented in resource-limited settings, may accelerate the process of adjusting to one’s HIV status, but may not have sustainable benefits over time.

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Keywords

HIV/AIDS, Mental health, Pregnancy, Psychosocial, Social support, Adaptation, Adult, Avoidance learning, Case-control studies, Female, Follow-up studies, Health resources, HIV seropositivity, Humans, Poverty, Pregnancy complications, Regression analysis, Self concept, Self disclosure, Self-help groups, Social support, South Africa, Young adult

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Citation

Mundell, JP, Visser, MJ, Makin, JD, Kershaw, TS, Forsyth, BWC, Jeffery, B & Sikkema, KJ 2011, 'The impact of structured support groups for pregnant South African women recently diagnosed HIV positive', Women & Health, vol. 51, no. 6, pp. 546-565.