Contributions from Psychology to treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to explain the current situation related to contributions from Psychology to the treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS. After presenting the last epidemiological data showing an infection with an alarming progress and the important advances and limitations in the field of prevention and medical treatment up to now, we discuss the emotional problems that affect people living with HIV and the impact that psychological factors have on infection. A special mention is made to one major critical question in the care of these patients, the adherence to treatment, and the main psychological intervention programs to approach this problem and to improve quality of life of these patients. Finally, present challenges in psychological research on AIDS are emphasized including a better understanding of factors involved in risk behaviors, the evaluation of effectiveness of prevention programs, psychological intervention of children and adolescents infected with HIV, efficacy of psychological treatments for the patients and attention to their relatives and the health providers.