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Research in psychoneuroimmunology suggests that immunosuppression associated with perceived stress may contribute to disease progression in persons with HIV infection. While stress management interventions may enhance immune function, few alternative approaches have yet been tested. This randomized clinical trial was conducted to test effects of three 10-week stress management approaches--cognitive-behavioral relaxation training (RLXN), focused tai chi training (TCHI), and spiritual growth groups (SPRT)--in comparison to a wait-listed control group (CTRL) among 252 individuals with HIV infection. Using repeated measures mixed modeling, the authors found that in comparison to the CTRL group, (a) both the RLXN and TCHI groups used less emotion-focused coping, and (b) all treatment groups had augmented lymphocyte proliferative function. Despite modest effects of the interventions on psychosocial functioning, robust findings of improved immune function have important clinical implications, particularly for persons with immune-mediated illnesses. (Contains 2 tables.)

Women diagnosed with fibromyalgia (N = 72) participated in a 10-week randomized trial to examine the effectiveness of guided imagery on self-efficacy, perceived stress, and selected biobehavioral factors (FMS symptoms; immune biomarkers). Participants in both guided imagery and usual care control conditions completed measures and donated 3 cc of blood at baseline, 6- and 10-weeks. A mixed effects linear model to test for differences between groups for all behavioral and biologic variables demonstrated that after 10 weeks of daily intervention use, guided imagery participants reported statistically significant increases in self-efficacy and statistically significant decreases in stress, fatigue, pain, and depression. There were no statistically significant changes in biomarker levels, although total group C-reactive protein was elevated at baseline (4.7 mg/L), indicating an inflammatory process. Subsequent studies should be undertaken to more fully elucidate the biobehavioral aspects of nonpharmacological intervention effectiveness. Keywords Fibromyalgia * Guided imagery * Self-efficacy * Stress * Pain * Cytokine * C-reactive protein, Introduction Fibromyalgia (FMS) is a chronic pain and fatigue syndrome (Dadabhoy et al., 2008) that affects 3-6 million adults in the United States (NIAMS, 2009). It is one of the [...]

This article reports on U.S. nursing education and practice in relation to culture, cultural diversity, and cultural competence. It aims to raise awareness of a view of culture as a sociopolitical construction, and to explore implications for incorporating this view into U. S. nursing education and practice.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the theoretical basis of an intervention designed to promote healing in situations of HIV-related stigma. The paper builds upon the recent work of Ken Wilber and from that perspective, a definition of healing is derived. Both Wilber's four quadrant model and the proposed definition of healing guide the focus of the intervention. The intervention described is an integral approach incorporating elements of both the individual and the collective with attention to body, mind and spirit. This approach offers advantages over other approaches in that it is truly holistic and as such, is likely to address all aspects of HIV-related stigma to more effectively facilitate healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]