Impact of adherence to medication and gender on family pathology in HIV patients

Pages: 974-977
Harprit Kaur and Neeru (Department of Psychology, Punjabi University, Patiala )

During the management of HIV patients the role of social support, specifically of that of the family is crucial; yet it is equally significant that the impact of this illness is not just on the patient but has far reaching implications for the whole family unit. Gender determines the role as well as the privileges enjoyed by the family member who is a patient; this is particularly evident in the Indian context wherein gender differentiation is marked. Estimates from the World Health Organization (2003) indicate that only about 50% of patients with chronic diseases living in developed countries follow treatment recommendations, the state of Compliance in a nation like ours is bound to be alarming too. Thus the present study evaluated the impact of adherence to medication and gender on family pathology. For this purpose, sixty male and female HIV patients were examined for family pathology while comparing the adherent and non-adherent groups. The paper discusses implications of the results obtained.