Citation

O'Dowd MA, Biderman DJ, McKegney FP. Psychosomatics 1993; 34(1): 33-40.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10467.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

8426889

Abstract

Current suicidality and many other characteristics were assessed in 183-patients in the various stages of HIV infection who were referred to a specialized HIV-related psychiatric clinic. Intravenous drug use was the most common HIV risk factor. Patients with AIDS had significantly less current suicidal ideation than patients with AIDS-related complex and asymptomatic HIV positivity. The lower suicidality in AIDS patients was independent of age, gender, HIV risk group, and source of referral. Possible explanations of this association include denial, refocusing of life goals in AIDS patients, and psychological changes related to central nervous system impairment.

Language: en