Editorial review: Social support and HIV

Abstract

This paper reviews research about the relationship between social support and health for people with HIV. Current studies linking social support and HIV are described and the major findings summarized in order to identify gaps in the literature. It is argued that, to date, research in this area has focused primarily upon gay white men in the USA at a symptomatic stage of the illness. There are few studies which have considered the impact of social position on the relationship between social support and health, and few which have included HIV-negative controls. Whilst there is evidence of a link between social support and the psychological well-being of people with HIV, research is still in its infancy. Much information is required about which particular aspects of social support and health are associated, how this association changes over time according to the stage of the disease, and with the socio-economic and cultural characteristics of those with HIV.