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. 2022 Sep;26(9):3147-3152.
doi: 10.1007/s10461-022-03653-1. Epub 2022 Apr 1.

Loneliness Mediates the Effect of HIV-related Stigma on Depressive Symptoms among Older Persons Living with HIV

Moka Yoo-Jeong  1 , Monique J Brown  2   3   4   5 , Drenna Waldrop  6
Affiliations

Loneliness Mediates the Effect of HIV-related Stigma on Depressive Symptoms among Older Persons Living with HIV

Moka Yoo-Jeong et al. AIDS Behav. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

Studies have shown associations among stigma, loneliness, and depressive symptoms in older persons living with HIV (PWH) but research assessing the mediating pathway among these variables is sparse. Building on this prior work, the aim of this study was to test the mediating effects of loneliness. A sample of 146 older PWH (≥50 years old) from an outpatient HIV clinic in Atlanta, GA, completed a cross-sectional survey. Mediation analysis, guided by Baron and Kenny's criteria, was conducted using Stata v14.2 to assess the direct and indirect effects of loneliness on the association between stigma and depressive symptoms while controlling for covariates (sex; income; self-rated health; past unstable housing). Loneliness mediated the association between stigma and depressive symptoms. Stigma predicted higher loneliness, which in turn predicted more depressive symptoms. Findings suggest that addressing depressive symptoms in older PWH may require multifaceted interventions targeting psychosocial and interpersonal factors including stigma and loneliness.

Keywords: Depressive symptoms; HIV; Loneliness; Older adults; Stigma.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure Statement The authors report no real or perceived vested interests that relate to this article that could be construed as a conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mediating Effect of Loneliness on the Relationship Between HIV-related Stigma and Depressive Symptoms
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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