Skip to main content

Coping styles and illicit drug use in older adults with HIV/AIDS.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Skalski, LM; Sikkema, KJ; Heckman, TG; Meade, CS
Published in: Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors
December 2013

The prevalence of HIV infection in older adults is increasing; by 2015, over half of adults living with HIV/AIDS in the United States will be over 50. This study describes the prevalence of drug use and examines psychosocial predictors of drug use in a sample of HIV-infected adults aged 50 and older. Participants were 301 HIV-positive older adults enrolled in a clinical trial of a coping intervention aimed to reduce their depressive symptoms. One-quarter used illicit drugs in the past 60 days (48% any cocaine, 48% weekly marijuana, 44% any other drugs) with an average of 36 days for marijuana and 15 days for cocaine. After controlling for demographics, self-destructive avoidance was positively associated and spiritual coping was negatively associated with drug use. These findings suggest that assessment of drug abuse should be a routine part of care for older patients in HIV clinics. Furthermore, interventions designed to increase spiritual coping and decrease self-destructive avoidance may be particularly efficacious for HIV-infected older adults.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors

DOI

EISSN

1939-1501

ISSN

0893-164X

Publication Date

December 2013

Volume

27

Issue

4

Start / End Page

1050 / 1058

Related Subject Headings

  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • Substance Abuse
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Illicit Drugs
  • Humans
  • HIV Infections
  • Female
  • Comorbidity
  • Aged
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Skalski, L. M., Sikkema, K. J., Heckman, T. G., & Meade, C. S. (2013). Coping styles and illicit drug use in older adults with HIV/AIDS. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 27(4), 1050–1058. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031044
Skalski, Linda M., Kathleen J. Sikkema, Timothy G. Heckman, and Christina S. Meade. “Coping styles and illicit drug use in older adults with HIV/AIDS.Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors 27, no. 4 (December 2013): 1050–58. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031044.
Skalski LM, Sikkema KJ, Heckman TG, Meade CS. Coping styles and illicit drug use in older adults with HIV/AIDS. Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors. 2013 Dec;27(4):1050–8.
Skalski, Linda M., et al. “Coping styles and illicit drug use in older adults with HIV/AIDS.Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, vol. 27, no. 4, Dec. 2013, pp. 1050–58. Epmc, doi:10.1037/a0031044.
Skalski LM, Sikkema KJ, Heckman TG, Meade CS. Coping styles and illicit drug use in older adults with HIV/AIDS. Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors. 2013 Dec;27(4):1050–1058.

Published In

Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors

DOI

EISSN

1939-1501

ISSN

0893-164X

Publication Date

December 2013

Volume

27

Issue

4

Start / End Page

1050 / 1058

Related Subject Headings

  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • Substance Abuse
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Illicit Drugs
  • Humans
  • HIV Infections
  • Female
  • Comorbidity
  • Aged