Comparing the personality dimensions in positive and negative Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) substance dependent patients with general population

HIV is one of the most spread epidemics in the modern world. Almost all of HIV infected cases are due to high risk behaviors such drug use and risky sexual behaviors and personality characteristics play an important role in this way. This study has compared personality dimensions of HIV positive, HIV negative opioid dependent patients and general population.
40 HIV positive opioid dependent patients and 40 HIV negative opioid dependent patients were assessed with five factor NEO personality questionnaire. Then results of these two groups compared with general population.
In both HIV positive and negative groups neuroticism was higher than general population. Extroversion, openness and agreeableness in HIV positive group were than general population and openness in HIV negative group was lower than general population.
in this study in HIV positive and HIV negative groups neuroticism was higher and extroversion was lower than general population and this combination of personality dimensions is different with most common combination of personality dimensions in HIV positive patients (high neuroticism and high extroversion).