ABSTRACT

Objective: The objective of the present study was to compare spiritual wellbeing and physical-illness behavior in HIV seropositive individuals and individuals from the normative population who are not HIV positive to find out if there is any relationship. A growing body of evidence demonstrates a significant relationship between spirituality and health. HIV-infected individuals often find new meaning and purpose for their lives while establishing new connections and strengthening old ones (Philips, 2006).

Design: This multiple group design was used to assess the intensity and impact of spiritual well-being in 120 HIV seropositive individuals and individuals from the normative population. The study utilized a cohort method, which lasted a period of four years. Spiritual well-being was found to be a significant factor related to physical health status.

Main outcome measure: Spiritual wellbeing and physical wellbeing.

Results: The descriptive analysis of existential wellbeing among Zambian and Indian participants shows that 70% of HIV seropositive individuals from Zambia and India who did not have a sense of relatedness to a transcendent dimension or something greater than the known and permanent self, [religious wellbeing], had more experiences of illness behavior [somatic symptoms]. It was also found that 66% of HIV seropositive individuals who did not have a sense of life purpose and life satisfaction had more experiences of illness behavior [somatic symptoms] than their counterparts who found that their lives were meaningful and purposeful.

The 'F' ratio for diagnosis was significant at 0.05 while the F ratio for nationality was significant at 0.01 levels indicating that diagnosis and nationality independently influenced spiritual well-being but not interactively. Correlation between the level of physical illness behavior [somatic symptoms] and religious wellbeing was found to be -0.103 while that for existential well-being was ?0.419. This indicated that physical illness behavior is negatively correlated with both existential and religious well-being. However, the correlation between existential well-being and physical illness behavior was higher than the correlation between religious wellbeing and physical illness behavior.

Conclusion: When the level of spiritual well-being is high by an individual, then it?s likely that physical illness behavior will be low because those who had adequate spiritual well-being had less illness behavior. The 233results therefore illustrate that less levels of spiritual well-being and physical illness behavior seem to co-exist. The findings suggest that spiritual well-being and physical health quality need to be assessed so appropriate interventions can be implemented to improve health outcomes in this population. Therefore provision of adequate spiritual well-being should be included in the management and treatment of HIV seropositive individuals in order to enhance their quality of life.