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The role of grief in human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) volunteer burnout was investigated. Questionnaires were sent to members of the Foundation for Interfaith Research and Ministry, an organization performed for the purpose of providing volunteer work in HIV/AIDS care facilities. A total of 174 valid responses were obtained from 1,320 questionnaires sent out in which grief was measured against work characteristics, burnout, rewards, stressors, and the general health questionnaire (GHQ). Modest but significant correlations were observed between grief and empathy/self knowing reward, emotional overload stress, time as volunteer, emotional support reward, volunteer hours per week, social support reward, and personal effectiveness reward. Low scores on grief indicated a high level of grief experienced. Almost 21% of the variance was accounted for by the variables: time as volunteer, emotional support reward, emotional overload stress, GHQ social dysfunction, and GHQ somatic symptoms. There was no association of burnout with grief. The authors suggest the following reasons may have been a part of the lack of any finding of grief and burnout relationships. The volunteers choose to work in the HIV/AIDS area, and they have control over the time they spend volunteering. They are internally motivated to work in this area. And if they did not enjoy the work, they were able to terminate their involvement with only minimal cost. Each of these factors had an effect on the levels of burnout they experience.
AIDS Care, 8(2):137-143, 1996. (13 references)
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