Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2013 Dec;27(4):1050-1058.
doi: 10.1037/a0031044. Epub 2013 Feb 25.

Coping styles and illicit drug use in older adults with HIV/AIDS

Linda M Skalski  1 , Kathleen J Sikkema  2 , Timothy G Heckman  3 , Christina S Meade  1
Affiliations

Coping styles and illicit drug use in older adults with HIV/AIDS

Linda M Skalski et al. Psychol Addict Behav. 2013 Dec.

Abstract

The prevalence of HIV infection in older adults is increasing; by 2015, over half of adults living with HIV/AIDS in the United States will be over 50. This study describes the prevalence of drug use and examines psychosocial predictors of drug use in a sample of HIV-infected adults aged 50 and older. Participants were 301 HIV-positive older adults enrolled in a clinical trial of a coping intervention aimed to reduce their depressive symptoms. One-quarter used illicit drugs in the past 60 days (48% any cocaine, 48% weekly marijuana, 44% any other drugs) with an average of 36 days for marijuana and 15 days for cocaine. After controlling for demographics, self-destructive avoidance was positively associated and spiritual coping was negatively associated with drug use. These findings suggest that assessment of drug abuse should be a routine part of care for older patients in HIV clinics. Furthermore, interventions designed to increase spiritual coping and decrease self-destructive avoidance may be particularly efficacious for HIV-infected older adults.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Anthony JC, Warner LA, Kessler RC. Comparative epidemiology of dependence on tobacco, alcohol, controlled substances and inhalants: basic findings from the National Comorbidity Survey. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology. 1994;2:244–268.
    1. Antinori A, Arendt G, Becker JT, Brew BJ, Byrd DA, Cherner M, et al. Updated research nosology for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. Neurology. 2007;69:1789–1799. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Arnsten JH, Demas PA, Grant RW, Gourevitch MN, Farzadegran H, Howard AA, et al. Impact of active drug use on antiretroviral therapy adherence and viral suppression in HIV-infected drug users. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2002;17:377–381. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Baker TB, Piper ME, McCarthy DE, Majeskie MR, Fiore MC. Addiction motivation reformulated: An affective processing model of negative reinforcement. Psychological Review. 2004;111:33–51. - PubMed
    1. Barrett DC, Bolan G, Joy D, Counts K, Doll L, Harrison J. Coping strategies, substance use, sexual activity, and HIV sexual risks in a sample of gay male STD patients. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 1995;25:1058–1072.

Publication types