A comparison of the psychosocial needs of hospice patients with AIDS and those with other diagnoses.
We compared the amount of psychosocial support required and received by patients with AIDS and without AIDS at Cedar Valley Hospice, Waterloo, Iowa. Hospice patients with AIDS (N = 11) required significantly more psychosocial support than non-AIDS patients (N = 36) of the same average age. The amount of non-hospice social support--family, congregation, and neighbors--received by AIDS patients was significantly less than that received by those with other diagnoses due to a virtual lack of neighbor support. There were no significant differences in family or congregational support. The high level of family support and lack of neighbor support may have been a result of many (8) of the AIDS patients having moved back to the area to die. A survey of hospice staff showed they felt working with AIDS patients was both more time consuming and more stressful than working with patients with other diagnoses.
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Baker
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Seager
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological