Size, Composition, and Strength of Ties of Personal Social Support Networks Among Adult People Living with HIV/AIDS in Henan and Beijing, China

Abstract

To characterize the level of personal support available to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Henan and Beijing, China, face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect information on network size, composition, and strength of ties. The number of people as sources of support for participants in Henan varied from 1 to 13 and 1 to 16 in Beijing. In Henan, family members were more likely to provide support than non-relatives and they provided support more frequently; in Beijing non-relatives were more likely to provide support than family members. Family members were closer to PLWHA than non-relatives in both sites, but the closest type of relative and non-relative supporters were different between Henan and Beijing. PLWHA in Henan and Beijing receive considerable social support, but there is still opportunity for additional social support. Efforts should be made to mobilize civil society to provide support for PLWHA in China.

Social networks and health: A systematic review of sociocentric network studies in low- and middle-income countries

“…Adams et al, 2002; Avogo and Agadjanian, 2008; Bignami-Van Assche, 2005; Edmonds et al, 2012; Fonseca-Becker and Valente, 2006; Green et al, 2011; Kohler et al, 2007; Miguel and Kremer, 2003; Moore, 2014; Moser and Mosler, 2008; Ruiz-Casares, 2010; Sandberg, 2012; White and Watkins, 2000; Wutich and McCarty, 2008; Zhang et al, 2012). Although these studies typically collect data about an actor's immediate contacts and the actor's perceptions of ties between those contacts, they cannot fully reveal structural aspects of the larger network in which actors are embedded nor explore the diffusion of behaviors, resources, technologies, and diseases through a larger set of people.…”

Efeito do suporte social na vida de adultos com HIV/AIDS Effect of social support in the lives of adults with HIV/AIDS

“…40 As the evidence levels, 8 there was the following distribution: an article level II, 31 an article level IV 11 articles level VI. 1,[9][10][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40] It was found that most of the findings were derived from cross-sectional and descriptive studies, occurring direct observation of a planned number of people with HIV/ AIDS in a lifetime opportunity, which prevents comparisons of long-term sample characteristics.…”

“…[52][53] In relation to perceived social support, family members were more involved in social support of people with HIV/ AIDS. 16,[36][37]39 In the context of HIV, the family emerges as a care unit, because they can contribute to the physical and mental balance of its members. The effects on physical, mental and emotional health caused by viruses extend to family members and those who are part of their social and personal relationships, as uncertainty about the contagion can generate fear, insecurity and emotional imbalance.…”

“…The members of the family are the most involved in social support for PLHIV. 16,[36][37]39 Social support and maintenance of safe sex 1. The positive social support or satisfactory is related to the fact that people with HIV/AIDS to avoid high-risk sexual behavior.…”

Do Older Adults with HIV Have Distinctive Personal Networks? Stigma, Network Activation, and the Role of Disclosure in South Africa

“…Upon receiving a diagnosis of HIV, for example, many older Finnish adults begin to actively establish new relationships with friends, especially with HIV support group members [19]. Several studies describe relatives and neighbors filling significant gaps in support networks, particularly after conflict or estrangement with former ties [20][21][22].…”