What I want to talk about here is the suicidal tendency of those patients diagnosed with HIV//AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
Studies have shown that HIV//AIDS patients have a high rate of suicidal ideation and attempted suicide, and they are high-risk groups for suicide.
However, it should be noted that there is no clear conclusion about the relationship between HIV/AIDS and suicide at home and abroad.
Research evidence shows that the factors that lead to the suicide behavior of HIV-infected /AIDS patients may be related to the suicide risk factors of this group of people before HIV infection (the risk factors that lead to HIV infection are the same as the risk factors of suicide), such as mental illness disorder, substance abuse disorder, homosexual behavior, history of attempted suicide, etc. ...
In other words, HIV/AIDS may just be an extra burden, which increases the risk of suicide.
Among the many risk factors of suicide in HIV/AIDS patients, the age factor can not be ignored.
Foreign research shows that the younger AIDS patients are, the higher the suicide rate is, and the risk of suicidal ideation decreases with the age of AIDS patients.
In addition, age is closely related to the health and quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients.
Obviously, the older HIV//AIDS patients are, the lower their immune function, the higher their risk of infection and the greater their medical expenses.
Then, because of the decline of labor ability, employment opportunities and economic income are reduced, which affects the quality of life.
Speaking of quality of life, some researchers have analyzed the quality of life and related stigma of AIDS patients. The results show that the stigma of AIDS patients is negatively related to quality of life. The stronger the sense of personal humiliation, the worse the quality of life.
Stigma of HIV//AIDS patients can be divided into external and internal:
External shame is manifested as prejudice, discrimination and exclusion from the public's point of view. For HIV/AIDS patients, it is also called "shame" or "(actual) humiliation";
The inherent sense of shame is that HIV/AIDS patients unconsciously internalize the negative attitude of the public, showing self-humiliation and discrimination, and then retreat, escape, hide and other behaviors.
There are many reasons why people living with HIV/AIDS feel ashamed and discriminated against:
For example, in the late stage of AIDS, opportunistic infections and adverse drug reactions can lead to physical defects or deformities;
For another example, HIV/AIDS is more common among homosexuals, sex workers and intravenous drug users, and this group of people is considered to be tainted;
For example, AIDS is contagious, and some people will blindly panic, isolate and avoid HIV/AIDS patients;
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In fact, the biggest harm of discrimination against HIV/AIDS patients is not to retaliate against society, but to hinder the effective prevention and treatment of AIDS.
Some people explain the influence of discrimination from three aspects: AIDS prevention, publicity and care. In terms of prevention, the general population will think that only those who are discriminated against are in danger and have no sense of danger. In propaganda, because of discrimination, HIV-infected/AIDS patients refused to disclose and avoided receiving treatment; In nursing, because of discrimination, HIV/AIDS patients can't get normal care, and there is a great risk of transmission.
So, besides raising awareness and eliminating discrimination, what can the public do to improve the quality of life of HIV//AIDS patients?
It is believed that the key to help HIV/AIDS patients improve their quality of life, overcome physical and psychological crises and reduce the incidence of suicidal behavior and suicidal ideation is to establish a good social support system.
Of course, in the social support system, family support is the most powerful.
Family support not only provides tangible economic and material support, but also directly affects the compliance of treatment, and also makes HIV//AIDS patients believe that they are cared for, loved and valuable.
(Reference:
Research progress on epidemic situation and risk factors of suicide in AIDS patients, Wei Li, Jia Cunxian; Research progress on suicide behavior of AIDS patients, Cheng Weibin, YIO；; A study on the influencing factors of the quality of life of HIV-infected people and patients in Li Can: The Research Status of Discrimination against AIDS Patients, written by Li Jinrun, He, Cai Yi,,,; Research progress of AIDS discrimination, rigorous and simple; A study on the psychosocial influencing factors of suicidal ideation in AIDS patients,, Sun,, Zhang Zekun, Cao Hongyuan)