TULANE UNIVERSITY, 2001
 
                         SOCIAL WORK (0452); HEALTH SCIENCES, PUBLIC HEALTH (0573); BLACK STUDIES (0325); WOMEN'S STUDIES (0453)
 

                         This research assessed the effects of received and perceived social support on the health status of 65
                         HIV-positive African-American mothers over time. More specifically, this study examined the effects of
                         received and perceived social support on both subjective and objective markers of their health status.
                         Differences in types of received and perceived social support reported by the women, along with the
                         influence of sociodemographic and psychosocial factors on received and perceived social support, were
                         also examined. Studies based on data from a wide range of populations suggest that perceived social
                         support better predicts health outcomes for seriously ill persons than received support. From previous
                         research with cancer patients and HIV-positive gay males, it was expected that: (a) perceived
                         social support would have a more positive impact on health than received social support; (b) the
                         type of received and perceived social support would change with progression of illness;
                         (c) sociodemographic and psychosocial factors would affect received and perceived social
                         support. Study results supported the notion that perceived social support affects health status more
                         positively over time than received social support. Perceived emotional support from others and support
                         from friends and neighbors were found to be the most important factors positively affecting health status.
                         No change was found over time between types of received or perceived social support. When
                         controlling for each of the health status variables, sociodemographic and psychosocial factors were
                         found to have little impact on either perceived or received social support. These results indicate that
                         further research is warranted to separate and understand the differential impact that various types of
                         received and perceived social support may have on both subjective and objective markers of health
                         status. Given that social support is an important coping resource, research focusing on understanding
                         how specific social network relationships provide social support to HIV-positive African-American women
                         could further clarify the transactional complexity of social support. Findings from this study should be
                         helpful to social workers practicing in health care settings and contribute to the general knowledge about
                         the effects of social support on health outcomes experienced by HIV-positive African-American mothers.

Social Systems Simulation Group P.O. Box 6904 San Diego, CA  92166-0904 Roland Werner, Principal Phone/FAX  (619) 660-1603