Use of coping strategies among people living with HIV/AIDS in Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is one of the most complicated and bewildering social challenges faced by contemporary societies due to its strong ties with sexual and societal stigmatized behavior. This study is aimed at assessing the use of coping strategies among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Kaduna central senatorial district. The study was a cross section descriptive design. The instrument used was Brief COPE (Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced). A sample of 407 participants attending antiretroviral clinic was drawn from four selected General Hospital from the district using multi stage sampling method. The sample size was calculated from the target population of 10,321 patients. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with the aid of IBM SPSS version 23. The major findings of the study revealed PLWHA use the problem focus coping strategy adequately with overall mean of 2.61 and specifically most of them have been taking action to try to make the situation better. The PLWHA also use the emotion focus coping strategy adequately with overall mean of 2.65 and specifically most of them have been getting emotional support from others. However, use of avoidance coping strategy was the highest with overall mean of 2.82, specifically most of them criticized themselves for the condition. The study then concluded that problem focus and emotion focus were adequately used while avoidance strategy was highly used. It was therefore recommended that health workers should adopt different methods of educating the PLWHA especially on their clinic days on how to adopt problem focus coping strategies in other to improve their quality of life.