Social support, religiosity, and depression among older caregivers of HIV/AIDS children in rural Namibia

The study of older caregiving is emerging as an important area of research in HIV endemic communities. This study explored the role of social support/network and religiosity in predicting depressive symptoms among older caregivers (N = 100) from the Omusati region in rural Namibia, Africa. Hierarchical multivariate regression results showed that higher levels of social support/network and intrinsic religiosity were significantly associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms. This study suggests the need for mental health professionals in Namibia to invest in and employ evidence-based social support and religious coping interventions for older caregivers of people living with HIV/AIDS.