PSYCHOSOCIAL PROCESSES AS COFACTORS IN AIDS

本研究的总体目标是探讨心理社会问题。 过程可能是后天发展的辅助性因素 高危人群中的免疫缺陷综合征(艾滋病)。这个 具体目标是：1)了解个人如何评价， 在情感上应对和应对艾滋病的风险， 2)确定对风险的特定心理反应 艾滋病与降低艾滋病风险的做法有关 行为，3)确定特定的心理反应是否 患艾滋病的风险与免疫系统的变化有关 系统(辅助者/诱导者T细胞水平的快速降低，以及 改变了对艾滋病病毒的免疫反应)并增加了 罹患艾滋病的可能性以及4)确定是否接触 紧张的生活环境和特殊的心理反应 这些情况与免疫变化和 患艾滋病的可能性增加。 现在有1500名健康的男同性恋者参加 多中心艾滋病合作研究(MACS)。这些人 每六个月检查一次艾滋病的体征和症状 和艾滋病相关复合体(ARC)，对 人类免疫缺陷病毒(HIV)，样本收集和 T细胞亚群的分析，并收集数据 艾滋病发展中的潜在辅助因素。建议数 研究将增加心理社会的问卷评估 因素(对艾滋病风险的评估和反应、其他生活压力、 情感、社会支持、个人资源)对考试的影响 每六个月一次。两百名受试者的子样本将 参加每个互委会的心理评估面谈 检查以评估更全面的情绪反应和应对 与艾滋病风险和其他压力有关的策略 情况。密集的免疫学评估将是 对这一子样本进行了调查。 数据分析将决定心理因素 HIV血清阳性人群中降低风险行为的行为预测 和血清阴性的受试者。在艾滋病毒血清阳性的个人中，数据 分析将确定心理社会因素，在 结合其他可能的辅助因素，预测 随着时间的推移免疫反应与ARC和ARC的发展 艾滋病。

The overall objective of this study is to explore psychosocial processes as possible cofactors in the development of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in an at-risk population. The specific objectives are: 1) to understand how individuals appraise, respond emotionally to and cope with the risk of developing AIDS, 2) to determine if particular psychological responses to the risk of AIDS are associated with the practice of AIDS risk-reducing behaviors, 3) to determine if particular psychological responses to the risk of AIDS are associated with changes in the immune system (rapid reductions in helper/inducer T cell levels, and altered immune response to the AIDS virus) and increased likelihood of developing AIDS and 4) to determine if exposure to stressful life situations and particular psychological responses to these situations, are associated with immune changes and increased likelihood of developing AIDS. Fifteen hundred healthy homosexual men are now participating in the Multi-Center AIDS Cooperative Study (MACS). These men are examined every six months for signs and symptoms of AIDS and the AIDS-Related Complex (ARC), seropositivity for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), specimen collection and assay of T cell sub-populations, and the gathering of data on potential cofactors in the development of AIDS. The proposed study will add the questionnaire assessment of psychosocial factors (appraisal and response to AIDS risk, other life stress, affect, social support, personal resources) to the examination every six months. A sub-sample of two hundred subjects will participate in a psychological assessment interview at each MACS examination to assess more fully emotional responses and coping strategies used in relation to the AIDS risk and other stressful situations. Intensive immunological assessments will be conducted on this sub-sample. Data analyses will determine whether psychological factors predict the practice of risk-reducing behaviors in HIV seropositive and seronegative subjects. In HIV seropositive individuals, data analyses will determine whether psychosocial factors, in conjunction with other possible cofactors, predict changes in immune response over time and the development of ARC and AIDS.