title: Gender Roles and Mental Health in Women With and at Risk for HIV.
abstract: Predominantly low-income and African American women from the same community, HIV-infected (n= 100; HIV+) and uninfected (n= 42; HIV-), were assessed on reported gender roles in sexual and other close relationships-including levels of self-silencing, unmitigated communion, and sexual relationship power-at a single recent study visit during 2008-2012. Recent gender roles were investigated in relation to depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life assessed both at a single visit during 2008-2012 and averaged over semiannual visits (for depressive symptoms) and annual visits (for quality of life) occurring between 1994 and 2012. Compared to HIV- women, HIV+ women reported significantly higher levels of several aspects of self-silencing, unmitigated communion, and multi-year averaged depressive symptoms as well as lower levels of sexual relationship power and recent and multi-year averaged quality of life. For both HIV+ and HIV- women, higher self-silencing and unmitigated communion significantly related to recent or multi-year averaged higher depressive symptoms and lower quality of life. Intervention strategies designed to increase self-care and self-advocacy in the context of relationships could potentially minimize depressive symptoms and enhance quality of life in women with and at risk for HIV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Leslie R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Brody
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA ; School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Lynissa R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Stokes
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Sannisha K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Gwendolyn A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kelso
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Ruth C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Cruise
authors.affiliation: Cook County Health & Hospital System, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Cook County Health & Hospital System, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Jane K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Burke-Miller
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine, Rush University and Cook County Health & Hospital System, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Mardge H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Cohen
keywords: HIV; communion; depression; empowerment; health; quality of life; sex roles; silencing the self