Investigation of the relation between satisfaction with life and social support in patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS

Aim: The study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relation between satisfaction with life and social support in patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Method: The research was a descriptive type study conducted between April and October 2016 at Tepecik Teaching and Research Hospital, Bozyaka Teaching and Research Hospital, Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Teaching and Research Hospital, and Dokuz Eylül University Medical Faculty Hospital, with the participation of 75 patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. An Elucidative Consent Form, a Descriptive Information Form, a Satisfaction with Life Scale, and a Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, prepared by the researchers by making use of the literature and similar studies, were used in collecting research data. Findings: T-test, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the Wilcoxon test, the Mann Whitney Test, the One-way Variance ANOVA test, Post Hoc, and the Kruskal Wallis Test were used in the analysis of data. Fourteen of the patients participating in the study were female, 61 were male, and most were single. Most of the patients had contracted the disease through heterosexual relations or working as prostitutes. It was found that they had mostly received the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS when going to the hospital with other health problems. It was found that patients' levels of satisfaction with life were affected by the variable of profession group, socioeconomic status, perception of income level, whether they were receiving regular ART treatment, and whether they had any HIV-positive friends. A significant positive correlation was found between HIV/AIDS patients' social support and satisfaction with life levels. It was found in the study that the social support levels of patients with a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS were affected by the extent to which they shared their diagnosis with those around them and by increase in age in female patients. Conclusion: It was concluded that as the score obtained on the social support scale increased, satisfaction with life also increased. Key words: HIV/AIDS, satisfaction with life, social support.