       Document 0041
 DOCN  M9580041
 TI    Social support and the development of immune function in human
       immunodeficiency virus infection.
 DT    9506
 AU    Theorell T; Blomkvist V; Jonsson H; Schulman S; Berntorp E; Stigendal L;
       National Institute of Psychosocial Factors and Health, Stockholm,;
       Sweden.
 SO    Psychosom Med. 1995 Jan-Feb;57(1):32-6. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/95249741
 AB    A psychosocial investigation offered to all human immunodeficiency virus
       (HIV)-infected men with moderately severe or severe hemophilia in Sweden
       was made in 1986. Most of these men had been infected in the years 1980
       to 1984 and told about their infections in 1985. Forty-nine subjects had
       answered questions in regard to sources of emotional support in their
       life situation. Based on the responses to these questions a score of
       availability of attachment (AVAT) was calculated, and two groups of
       patients were identified: one with high AVAT and one with low AVAT
       scores. The subjects were followed with regard to the state of their
       immune system, as reflected by CD4 counts, until 1990. The results
       indicated that a low AVAT score in 1985 was associated with a
       significantly more rapid progressive deterioration in CD4 count during
       subsequent years. The mechanism behind this association is unknown.
       Several possible confounders were not studied. However, if the
       association between a poor AVAT score and rapid CD4 deterioration after
       HIV infection is replicated in other samples, it could be important to
       the future clinical care of HIV-infected subjects.
 DE    Adolescence  Adult  Aged  Child  CD4 Lymphocyte Count  Follow-Up Studies
       Hemophilia/PSYCHOLOGY  Human  HIV Infections/IMMUNOLOGY/*PSYCHOLOGY
       Male  Middle Age  Object Attachment  Personality Assessment  *Social
       Support  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

