This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Woods, T. E. Articles by Kling, D. W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Woods, T. E. Articles by Kling, D. W. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Religiosity is Associated with Affective Status in Symptomatic HIV-infected African-American Women

Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin at Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Michael H. Antoni

Gail H. Ironson

Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA

David W. Kling

Department of Religious Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA

This study examined the relationship between religiosity and the affective and immune status of 33 HIV-seropositive mildly symptomatic African-American women (CDC stage B) in a replication of a prior study that reported an association between religiosity and affective and immune status in HIV-seropositive gay men. All women completed an intake interview, a set of psychosocial questionnaires, and provided a venous blood sample. Consistent with prior work, factor analysis of 12 religious-oriented response items revealed two distinct aspects to religiosity: religious coping and religious behavior. Religious coping (e.g. placing trust in God, seeking comfort in religion) was significantly associated with lower depression and anxiety. Regression analyses revealed the association between religious coping and depressive symptoms appears to be mediated by an active coping style. However, the association between religious coping and anxiety does not appear to be mediated by either active coping or sense of self-efficacy in these women. In contrast to prior work, neither religious coping nor religious behavior was significantly associated with immune status as measured by T helper-inducer (CD41) cell counts.

Key Words: affective status • African-American • HIV • immune status • religion

Journal of Health Psychology, Vol. 4, No. 3, 317-326 (1999)
DOI: 10.1177/135910539900400302


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. E. Perez, M. Chartier, C. Koopman, M. Vosvick, C. Gore-Felton, and D. Spiegel Spiritual Striving, Acceptance Coping, and Depressive Symptoms among Adults Living with HIV/AIDS J Health Psychol, January 1, 2009; 14(1): 88 - 97. [Abstract] [PDF]