North Carolina State University Publishes Research on HIV/AIDS

Research has indicated that HIV service providers commonly use humor to cope with work-related stress; however, little is known about the forms and functions of humor used by these professionals," investigators in the United States report.

"In this study, 25 HIV service providers from five AIDS service organizations were interviewed about their use of humor. Participants described five primary types of humor as prevalent within AIDS service organizations and noted that humor served a variety of functions, which were either adaptive or maladaptive. Adaptive functions included boosting morale and reducing tension, whereas maladaptive functions ranged from masking emotions to alienating certain groups," wrote K.A. Kosenko and colleagues, North Carolina State University.

The researchers concluded: "Emphasized the importance of context in the study of humor use and the need for continued investigations of the stress and coping of HIV service providers."

Kosenko and colleagues published their study in Janac - Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (Forms, Functions, and Foibles of Humor Used in AIDS Service Organizations. Janac - Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 2010;21(1):25-35).

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.


Together We Remain Strong!