Factor in Psychiatric Distress of Patients with Aids

本研究之目的為探討醫學中心住院HIV/AIDS患者的身體症狀、整體精神狀態和社會支 持及其關係，並進而標示預測患者精神狀態的因素，研究結果顯示患者平均出現12種 身體症狀，其中普遍且較為嚴重的 身體症狀為疲倦、虛弱、活動時呼吸急促、口乾 、口渴，較為嚴重的 精神症狀為睡眠困難及憂鬱，而身體症狀、自覺健康狀況及教 育程度 為預測精神狀態的主要因素，共可解釋精神狀態總變異量的52.7％； 因此， 醫療人員應致力於提供有效的症狀處理以改善患者的身體及精 神狀態，而未來研究 方向應進行長期追蹤性研究以探討不同疾病階段 身體症狀、整體精神狀態和社會支 持及其關係，並探討症狀處理措施 對患者身體症狀、精神症狀、日常生活照顧能力 、社交功能及生活品 質的影響。 The purposes of this study were to investigate the inter-relationships of HIV-related symptoms, psychiatric distress, and social support of HIV- infected inpatients and to identify predictors of patient’spsychiatric distress. The results showed that patients experienced an average of 12 physical symptoms. Among them fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath with activity, dry mouth, and thirst were the most frequent and severe. Insomnia and depression were the most frequent and severe psychiatric distress experienced by patients. The use of a regression analysis revealed that HIV-related symptoms, self -perceived health status, and education accounted for 52.7% of the variance of patients’ psychiatric distress. The research findings imply that health care professionals should focus on implementing effective symptom management in order to increase patients’ physical and psychiatric well- being. Future research should include a longitudinal study to explore HIV-related symptoms, psychiatric distress, and social support of HIV-infected patients and their inter- relationships in different stages of illness. In the future, we also expect to see an evaluation survey of the effect of symptom management on AIDS patients’ physical symptoms, psychiatric state, ability of daily and social life, and life quality.