Apoyo Social e inmunocompetencia en un grupo de 80 personas que viven con VIH-SIDA en Santiago de Chile

This study examined the psychosocial variables of Social Support, specifically support from Friends (EASA) and Family (EASF), and their influence on the immunocompetence of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The research involved 80 adults in the AIDS stage, correlating their EASA and EASF scale scores with immunological indicators such as CD4 cell counts, extracted from clinical records at Lucio Córdova Hospital in Santiago, Chile. Results revealed a significant correlation between EASA and CD4 cell count (Spearman > .37; p < .01), indicating a moderate positive association between social support from friends and immunocompetence. In contrast, no significant correlations were found with the Anxiety variable. These findings highlight the importance of social support, particularly from friends, in the context of HIV, suggesting that its immunomodulatory effect should be assessed alongside other psychosocial variables and disease-specific characteristics.