科研之友
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摘要
Background: Acquired immunodeficiency may impose considerableconsequences on patients＊ family behaviors towardthem. The objective of the present study was to investigatewhether a counseling program at Behavioral Counseling Centerin the city of Shiraz, Iran could change the attitude, knowledgeand behavior of patients%26apos; family members.Methods: 125 HIV/AIDS patients＊ family members were interviewed,using a valid and reliable questionnaire before andafter performing counseling sessions at Behavioral CounselingCenter. The findings were analyzed using nonparametric tests.Results: The age of the participants was 40㊣13 years. Sixty fivepercent were female, 63% married and 79% educated. Forty fourpercent of participants had spousal relationships with their patients.Their knowledge about the main routes of HIV transmissionwere 9.76 ㊣ 2.59 and10.64㊣0.88 before and after counseling,respectively (P=0.028). Supportive behaviors of families towardtheir patients reached to 79% after counseling compared with 44% before that (P=0.004). Belief to isolate the patients and thepractice of this approach at home dropped from 71% to 15% andfrom 29% to 7% after counseling, respectively (P0.05).Conclusion: Ongoing counseling for HIV/AIDS patients＊ familiesat Behavioral Counseling Center of Shiraz did advance theirknowledge about AIDS and improved their attitude and behaviortoward their patients However, the counseling program didnot show remarkable success in some aspects such as the removalof fear about HIV spread in the family or the change ofthe patients＊ wives attitude to have protected sex with their HIVinfected husbands.Iran J Med Sci 2010; 35(4): 287-292.
