Death Anxiety among Asymptomatic Acute HIV Condition, Clinically Symptomatic Condition and Aids Indicator Condition Groups

There is much interest in, whether death anxiety may explain the wide variability in the disease course of patients infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This paper examines whether death anxiety varies across Asymptomatic Acute HIV condition, Clinically Symptomatic Condition and AIDS Indicator Condition. A cross sectional research design is employed and participants were grouped as having asymptomatic, clinically symptomatic and AIDS according to case definitions established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data is obtained from 480 participants on the level of death anxiety and it is analysed with reference of their disease progression from HIV to AIDS. A one way ANOVA statistics indicated that Asymptomatic acute HIV condition, Clinically symptomatic HIV condition and AIDS indicator groups were significantly differ in the level of death anxiety. A Tukey’s HSD post-hoc test indicated that clinically symptomatic acute HIV condition group had exhibited higher level of death anxiety than asymptomatic acute HIV condition group and lower level of death anxiety compared to AIDS indicator group. By knowing the varied level of death anxiety across disease progression the tailor made interventions can be planned.