Abstract
- Background: Despite the high incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women with HIV disease, little data exist that document the impact of recent stressful life events on PTSD symptoms in women with HIV/AIDS. Objective: This cross-sectional study examined the associations between PTSD and recent stressful life events in women with HIV disease living in rural eastern North Carolina. Method: Data were collected from a convenience sample of 60 women with HIV/AIDS recruited through multiple HIV community agencies in rural eastern North Carolina. Participants completed the following measures: 1) Stressful Life Events Questionnaire (SLE-Q), 2) PTSD Checklist – Civilian Version (PCL-C). Results: The majority (93%, n = 53) experienced at least one stressful life event within the past 30 days; 66% (n = 40) reported three or more stressors. PTSD prevalence was high at 43.2% (n = 26). PCL-C scores were significantly an positively related to the score on the SLE-Q (r = .331, p<.01). Conclusions- Understanding the impact of current life stressors allows nursing care providers to provide more individualized care.