Table 1.
Living Strategy Items and Corresponding Intrinsic Contextual Factor Domain in the Episodic Disability Framework.a
| Living Strategy Item | Living Strategy Conceptualized as Having Positive (+) or Negative (−) Influence on Health | Intrinsic Contextual Factor | Subcategory of Intrinsic Contextual Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintaining sense of control over life (n = 26 items) | |||
| 1) I make sure I get enough sleep | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Lifestyle |
| 2) I take a break or nap when I need to | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Lifestyle |
| 3) I make sure I eat healthy | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Lifestyle |
| 4) I brush my teeth and practice good dental care | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Lifestyle |
| 5) I exercise | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Lifestyle |
| 6) I take medications as discussed with my doctor | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Lifestyle |
| 7) I try to avoid people or things that stress me out | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Lifestyle (related to social relationships) |
| 8) I smoke cigarettes | − | Maintaining sense of control over life | Lifestyle |
| 9) I focus on a hobby | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Establishing purpose and focus in life |
| 10) I focus on maintaining my health living with HIV | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Establishing purpose and focus in life |
| 11) I focus on things such as work and friends because HIV is not my main focus in life | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Establishing purpose and focus in life |
| 12) I make HIV the main focus of my life | +/− | Maintaining sense of control over life | Establishing purpose and focus in life |
| 13) I make maintaining my health the main focus of my life | +/− | Maintaining sense of control over life | Establishing purpose and focus in life |
| 14) I am involved in volunteerism, activism, and advocacy related to HIV | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Establishing purpose and focus in life |
| 15) I engage in activities of artistic expression (such as drawing, painting, dancing, singing, writing, etc) | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Establishing purpose and focus in life |
| 16) I try to manage my finances | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Establishing purpose and focus in life |
| 17) I maintain a good balance of activity in my life | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Maintaining life balance |
| 18) I try to stick to a daily structure or routine | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Maintaining life balance |
| 19) I prioritize and try not to overdo it when it comes to my daily activities | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Maintaining life balance |
| 20) I tend to overdo it by working or volunteering long hours | − | Maintaining sense of control over life | Maintaining life balance |
| 21) I plan for and anticipate changes in my health | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Planning for, anticipating future |
| 22) I plan ahead at work or in my daily routine for possible fluctuations in my health | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Planning for, anticipating future |
| 23) I make to-do lists to help me keep on track with my daily routine | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Planning for, anticipating future |
| 24) I learn what I can about HIV so that I am informed about my illness | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | Planning for and anticipating future |
| 25) I pay attention to the numbers (for example my viral load and CD4 counts) as a way to keep on top of my health | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | The numbers (CD4 count and viral load) |
| 26) I use websites or applications to track my details (counts, medications, other conditions) | + | Maintaining sense of control over life | The Numbers (CD4 count and viral load) |
| Attitudes and beliefs (n = 8 items) | |||
| 27) I consider myself healthy living with HIV | + | Attitudes and beliefs | Outlook on life |
| 28) I accept and value who I am the good and the bad | + | Attitudes and beliefs | Outlook on life |
| 29) I have a positive outlook on life and use hope and optimism to live with HIV | + | Attitudes and beliefs | Outlook on life |
| 30) I accept that my health can fluctuate with good days and bad days living with HIV | + | Attitudes and beliefs | Outlook on life |
| 31) I choose to believe I can survive and overcome any challenges living with HIV | + | Attitudes and beliefs | Outlook on life |
| 32) I get upset if I don’t get to everything I set out to do in a day | − | Attitudes and beliefs | Outlook on life |
| 33) I feel hopeless living with HIV | − | Attitudes and beliefs | Outlook on life |
| 34) I draw on faith and spirituality to deal with my challenges living with HIV | + | Attitudes and beliefs | Faith and spirituality |
| Blocking HIV out of the mind (n = 7 items) | |||
| 35) I ignore my HIV status | − | Blocking HIV out of the mind | – |
| 36) I ignore my numbers (viral load and CD4 count) | − | Blocking HIV out of the mind | – |
| 37) I drink alcohol as an escape to forget the challenges living with HIV | − | Blocking HIV out of the mind | – |
| 38) I try to forget I’m living with HIV | +/− | Blocking HIV out of the mind | – |
| 39) I use drugs recreationally to forget the challenges living with HIV | +/− | Blocking HIV out of the mind | – |
| 40) I use sex as a way to forget the challenges of living with HIV | +/− | Blocking HIV out of the mind | – |
| 41) I go shopping to forget the challenges living with HIV | +/− | Blocking HIV out of the mind | – |
| Seeking social interaction with others (n = 10 items) | |||
| 42) I spend time with my friends, partner, extended chosen or biological family, or pets | + | Seeking social interaction with others | – |
| 43) I spend time with work (or volunteer) colleagues | + | Seeking social interaction with others | – |
| 44) I spend time with people I know through religion or faith | + | Seeking social interaction with others | Faith and spirituality |
| 45) I spend time at a community-based or AIDS service organization, either to volunteer or access their services | + | Seeking social interaction with others | – |
| 46) I seek the company of others living with HIV (outside of organizations) | + | Seeking social interaction with others | – |
| 47) I spend time interacting with others on the Internet (eg, Facebook, Twitter, Chat Rooms) | + | Seeking social interaction with others | – |
| 48) I seek the company of others by attending dinner parties or going out to restaurants | + | Seeking social interaction with others | – |
| 49) I access a support group (online, by telephone, or in person) | + | Seeking social interaction with others | – |
| 50) I isolate myself from others | − | Seeking social interaction with others | – |
| 51) I try to reduce or eliminate relationships or activities that I believe are harmful to me | + | Seeking social interaction with others | – |
a(+) indicates positive living strategy; (−), negative living strategy; (+/−) strategy conceptualized as positive or negative depending on the context; - no additional subcategory of intrinsic factor. n = 935.