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The impact of denial on health-related quality of life in patients with HIV

Abstract

Background/purpose  

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of denial coping on quality of life (QOL) over time among individuals
living with HIV, as denial has been understudied as a coping strategy within the literature on HIV/AIDS.

Methods  

In a sample of 65 adult men and women, we used multilevel linear modeling to test trajectories of change in physical and mental
health-related QOL across baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months, including denial as a predictor and gender as a moderator.

Results  

The use of denial coping was associated with lower physical and mental health-related QOL at baseline. Denial coping predicted
an increase in QOL over time, though QOL remained low in those who practiced denial coping. Men’s baseline mental health-related
QOL was more negatively affected by denial coping than women’s. Women tended to increase in QOL more slowly over time compared
to men.

Conclusion  

Reliance on denial as a coping strategy is associated with poorer physical and mental health-related QOL in an HIV-positive
population, though participants who engaged in denial also displayed more rapid improvement in their QOL over time. Men and
women displayed different rates of improvement in QOL, indicating a need for gender-based treatment approaches. Future research
should examine the complex role of denial on change in QOL.

  • Content Type Journal Article
  • Pages 1-10
  • DOI 10.1007/s11136-011-0045-y
  • Authors
    • Charles Kamen, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305-5718, USA
    • Stacy Taniguchi, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
    • Ami Student, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
    • Eliza Kienitz, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
    • Katherine Giles, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
    • Christine Khan, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305-5718, USA
    • Susanne Lee, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305-5718, USA
    • Cheryl Gore-Felton, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305-5718, USA
    • Cheryl Koopman, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305-5718, USA