Why will research on psychological well-being help me and other patients?
If you are in the HIV positive group and you struggle with numerous somatic, psychological and social problems, psychological well-being is particularly important for you. Thanks to research it takes on a practical dimension.
Studies have shown a reduced level of well-being of HIV-infected people in comparison with both the general population and people suffering from other chronic diseases. It may be related to a greater probability of mental disorders in people living with HIV, but also to the course of HIV infection itself. Indeed, lower compliance with medical treatment increases the risk of developing AIDS.
Importantly, despite the identical medical diagnosis and after control of clinical indicators (e.g. CD4 lymphocyte count, viremia level, time since infection, treatment applied) major individual differences in psychological well-being are still found among people living with HIV.
At present, in our research using advanced and innovative methods we are looking for psychosocial factors, that is variables which underpin these differences.
Therefore, in our research, apart from traditional paper questionnaires that the participants complete in clinics and hospitals, we also use an electronic application. It is a very convenient and practical tool, which can be used efficiently and – if necessary – discreetly.
It is in the electronic application that the participants of the study describe day by day how they cope with stress, what their relations with others are like, and how they feel at the end of the day.
More information
Would you like to learn more why a study of psychological well-being matters? Read our papers in this area and see related research materials.
Yout help to improve the well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS
Would you like to explore your own psychological well-being and you are a person living with HIV/AIDS? Get in touch with us and contribute to raising reliable knowledge about the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS by completing a confidential questionnaire.
Join the project whose results will help to enhance the well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS, inspire specialists to develop effective methods of psychological support and contribute to better planning of assistance programmes. Start by CLICKING HERE.
Also read
40 years of AIDS: Did the social reception of HIV/AIDS change?
In June 2021, exactly 40 years had passed since the first cases of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection were officially detected and described in scientific literature. Do these changes translate into the independence of one's well-being from an HIV diagnosis? We tried to answer this question in our meta-analysis.
Emotional inertia and well-being of people living with HIV
Emotional inertia means that an emotional state persists over time and does not change dynamically in response to the situational context.
Psychological well-being, or me and my life
Psychological well-being is defined in a variety of ways, however, it can be agreed that this term refers to individually perceived happiness and satisfaction with life.
