Mundell J.P., Visser M.J., Makin J.D., Kershaw T.S., Forsyth B.W.C., Jeffery B., Sikkema K.J.
MRC Unit for Maternal and Infant Health Care Strategies, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 376, Irene, Pretoria, 0062, South Africa; Department of Psychology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
Mundell, J.P., MRC Unit for Maternal and Infant Health Care Strategies, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 376, Irene, Pretoria, 0062, South Africa; Visser, M.J., Department of Psychology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Makin, J.D., MRC Unit for Maternal and Infant Health Care Strategies, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 376, Irene, Pretoria, 0062, South Africa; Kershaw, T.S., School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States; Forsyth, B.W.C., Department of Pediatrics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States; Jeffery, B., MRC Unit for Maternal and Infant Health Care Strategies, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 376, Irene, Pretoria, 0062, South Africa; Sikkema, K.J., Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
adaptive behavior; adult; article; avoidance behavior; case control study; clinical trial; controlled clinical trial; controlled study; female; follow up; health care planning; human; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; poverty; pregnancy; pregnancy complication; psychological aspect; regression analysis; self concept; self disclosure; self help; social support; South Africa; Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Avoidance Learning; Case-Control Studies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Health Resources; HIV Seropositivity; Humans; Poverty; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Regression Analysis; Self Concept; Self Disclosure; Self-Help Groups; Social Support; South Africa; Young Adult