| This study proposed to explore the impact of personal resilience on the health outcomes of perinatally HIV-infected adolescents. As we enter the third decade of the AIDS pandemic, HIV/AIDS continues to affect adolescents and young adults ages 13 to 24 in increasing numbers. A large number of adolescents born with HIV infection are surviving into late adolescence and young adulthood.Emerging knowledge regarding perinatally HIV-infected adolescents informs us that, in comparison to other chronically ill populations (for example, youth diagnosed with diabetes, cystic fibrosis or rheumatoid arthritis), they and their families experience more illness-related stigma, social isolation and HIV-related central nervous system disease as well as other psychosocial stressors (Grubman et al., 1995 Lindegren, Steinberg & Byers, 2000 Wolters, Brouwers & Perez, 1999). Some of the specific issues affecting young people with perinatally-acquired HIV/AIDS are in the areas of psychosocial functioning especially as it relates to coping with their illness, health maintenance and compliance with treatment.For purposes of this study, personal resilience has been conceptualized as a personality trait that enhances individual adaptation and as the ability to successfully cope with change or misfortune (Wagnild & Young, 1993). Personal resilience to withstand the stresses associated with any illness, including HIV disease, is not present in everyone. This study explored this variable to determine how resilient these young individuals are, and its impact on their health outcomes.The study outcomes determined that there was a moderate relationship between personal resilience and HIV viral load, but no relationship with the CD4 count While no statistically significant associations where found between the dependent and independent variables, and the demographic variables of age, gender, ethnicity, living with whom, and socio-economic status, a positive association was found between CD4 count and the full-scale intelligence quotient. This is the first study in which the concept of personal resilience is examined in a population of perinatally HIV-infected youth, addressing a gap in knowledge of further understanding why it is difficult to adhere to HIV treatment. This study also supports continued research in this area as a novel concept of personal resilience in perinatally HIV-infected youth. |
