RESUMO
The development of effective coping strategies may require that women and men with HIV have an accurate, and to the greatest extent possible, positive, perception of their own health status. This has been found to be lacking among HIV-infected persons with limited education/information, including many minority adults. The objective of this study is to test several hypotheses that predict depression and perceived health in female adults with HIV. Data were obtained from 103 HIV-infected women (age > or = 18) who sought support, counseling, and maintenance services from one of four HIV care and referral centers in the mid-South. The results emphasize that perceived health status may fulfill a psychological distress-moderating or distress-aggravating function for women with HIV/AIDS.