Relationship of resources to emotional distress, somatic complaints, and high-risk behaviors in drug recovery and homeless minority women

• Published in: Research in nursing & health Vol. 14; no. 4; p. 269
• Main Author: Nyamathi, A M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 1991
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Female; Health Behavior; Health Status; Homeless Persons - psychology; Humans; Los Angeles - epidemiology; Middle Aged; Minority Groups; Self Concept; Social Support; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Stress, Psychological - nursing; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Substance-Related Disorders - nursing; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Substance-Related Disorders - rehabilitation; Surveys and Questionnaires; Los Angeles
• ISSN: 0160-6891
• DOI: 10.1002/nur.4770140405

In a sample of 581 homeless or drug-abusing minority women, the relationship of self-esteem, sense of coherence, and support availability to emotional distress, somatic complaints, and high-risk behavior were investigated. Findings revealed that women who were high in self-esteem and stronger in sense of coherence reported significantly less emotional distress, and significantly fewer high-risk behaviors. In addition, women who were high in any of the three resources reported lower somatic complaints. Regression analyses revealed that coherence, self-esteem and support availability jointly accounted for 49% of the variance in emotional distress, 10% of the variance in high-risk activities, and 26% of the variance in somatic complaints. Implications for empowering women at risk for HIV infection are discussed.