THỰC TRẠNG HỖ TRỢ XÃ HỘI Ở NGƯỜI NHIỄM HIV/AIDS ĐIỀU TRỊ ARV TẠI BỆNH VIỆN BẠCH MAI

Abstract

Introduction: Social support is essential for people living with HIV (PLWH) but there have been limited studies on this issue in Vietnam. This study aimed to describe the status of social support among PLWH on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at Bach Mai Hospital. Participants and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) was used to assess social support from three sources: family, friends and significant others. The study participants were 286 PLWH on ART at the Tropical Disease Center, Bach Mai Hospital. Results: The results showed that the 31-50 age group accounted for the highest proportion, the majority were men, married, and had high school education or above. The total MSPSS score was 65.7 points with the highest support from family and the lowest from friends. The proportion of participants with high, moderate and low levels of social support were 52.8%, 31.1% and 16.1% respectively. Conclusion: The study demonstrated inadequate social support for PLWH in Vietnam. Hence, strategies and interventions to improve social support for this population should be enhanced by promoting activities of socio-political organizations and establishing HIV community to empower self-help and mutual sharing.