Prediction of risk behaviors in people living with HIV based on family functioning: considering the mediator role of lifestyle and risky decision making

Risk behaviors are more common in HIV-positive population than general population and are affected by various factors such as biological factors, familial factors, peer group, media and lifestyle. Low family functioning is one important factor to predict risk behaviors. The aim of this research was to investigate the role of family functioning in predicting risk behaviors based on risky decision making and health promoting lifestyle in people living with HIV.
The present study was a descriptive and correlational study and was conducted on 147 HIV-positive individuals and we used convenience sampling for data gathering. The participants responded to the health promoting lifestyle profile-2 (HPLP-2), family adaptability and cohesion scale IV (FACES-IV), balloon analogue risk task (BART), and risk behavior assessment in social situation. The data were analyzed using Lisrel 8.8 software and structural equation modeling method.
Findings suggests that there is a negative and meaningful relationship between family functioning. Family functioning have direct effects and also undirect effects on risk behaviors with two mediator factors of lifestyle and risky decision making.
this research showed that family functioning directly contributes to risk behaviors and also indirectly contributes to risk behaviors with the mediator role of risky decision making and lifestyle. The future researches should focus more deeply on family function role in risk behaviors of people living with HIV.