Browsing by Author "Coetzee, Mignon"

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    Coping styles and quality of life in people with HIV/AIDS : a review
    (Faculty of the Humanities, University of the Free State, 2003) Coetzee, Mignon; Spangenberg, Judora
    In the midst of the dramatic global escalation of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the relative longevity of patients continues to increase. The success with which one manages to cope with the continuous stress attached to HIV/AIDS impacts directly on one’s quality of life. It is therefore of major importance to determine which coping styles correlate positively with quality of life in people with HIV/AIDS. In general, the research literature indicates that problem-focused, active coping styles are superior to emotion-focused, passive coping styles, including avoidance. However, interesting contradictory findings have come to light in South Africa, namely that an avoidant coping style also seems to be beneficial in the African socio-cultural context.
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    Factors affecting quality of life in people with HIV/AIDS : a review
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2001-12) Coetzee, Mignon; Spangenberg, Judora; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This paper provides an overview and critical evaluation of current (1990-2001) research into Human Immune-deficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immuno-deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), with particular reference to factors affecting quality of life (QOL) among those living with the disease. A brief look at the importance of optimal QOL when faced with a life crisis such as HIV/AIDS, leads to a discussion of factors influencing QOL in HIV/AIDS. These factors include coping styles, mental adjustment, social support, stigmatization, socio-economic and socia-cultural factors, gender, depression as well as disease progression. The overview is informed by prominent research trends and a critical look at the current understanding of factors impacting on the QOL of people living with HIV/AIDS. Recommendations are made on issues that need further clarification, while future research orientations are also suggested. In the absence of satisfactory treatment strategies or a cure for HIV/AIDS, as well as the evidence of a potentiall0 to 12 year life expectancy, there is a pressing need for a better understanding of factors that influence QOL. There is strong support for the notion that QOL directly impacts on disease progression and therefore also on the quality and quantity of survival time. It follows that a better understanding of the nature and determinants of QOL for HIV patients will yield valuable intervention guidelines within a biopsychosocial framework.