Social Support and Support Group Among People with HIV/AIDS in Ghana

Background and Purpose

HIV/AIDS is a chronic burden in Ghana that poses public and mental health problems and predisposes those infected to stigma and discrimination and low quality of life. More social support predicts higher quality of life in many settings including Ghana. Report from a study in the setting indicated good psychometric properties for the Medical Outcomes Study-Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS). Yet, less is known regarding the dimensionality of the MOS-SSS for a Ghanaian sample living with HIV/AIDS. There is also scant literature on whether these dimensions will predict length of stay in a support group.

Research Questions

 1) Will the MOS-SSS yield the same original dimensions of the MOS-SSS on the duration of attending the HIV/AIDS support group?

2) Will the increased receipt of the social support dimensions identified in this study predict the likelihood of attending the support groups for a longer period of time?

Hypotheses: 1) The MOS-SSS will yield the same original dimensions of the MOS-SSS on the duration of attending the HIV/AIDS support group.

2) The more social support received, the longer the individual stays in support groups.

Study design, Participants and Sampling Methods, Data Collection Procedures, Measures, and Appropriate Analytic/Statistical Approach

 We examined the MOS-SSS instrument using factor analysis and used logistic regression to determine the influence of the dimensions of social support on the duration of attending the HIV/AIDS support group meetings, adjusting for demographic factors, among a convenient sample of 300 Ghanaian adults from a cross-sectional survey design. Participation in the study was voluntary and data were collected through self-administration and occasionally, assistance was offered to respondents who needed help in completing the survey. Principal Component Analysis and Logistic Regression Analysis were conducted to determine the dimensions of the MOS-SSS and whether these dimensions will predict length of stay in support groups.

Results

Principal Component Analysis of the scale yielded four factors (positive interaction, trust building, information giving, and essential support), which accounted for 85.73% of the total variance in the MOS-SSS.  The logistic regression showed that essential support was the strongest predictor of the length of time an individual stayed in the support group, whereas positive interaction indicated negative association.

Conclusions and Implications

Consistent with the literature, this study found that network groups can provide social support that the individual’s family or informal support group is unable or unwilling to provide and essentials support strongly predicts longer stay in support groups. The study found implications for research, policy, and practice. This study found a high reliability for the MOS-SSS. Therefore, future research with Ghanaian samples can use this instrument with confidence. Policy makers and practitioners who coordinate programs and services for PLWA could provide ‘essential support’ services to help engage/maintain participants in support groups for a longer time as support groups tend to have positive effects on the health and quality of life of its members. These improved health indicators are beneficial for the individual, their family, and their community, as well as the global village.