Divinity and Distress: The Impact of Religion and Spirituality on the Mental Health of HIV-Positive Adults in Tanzania
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between religiosity, spirituality and mental health in the context of a stress-coping framework. Participants were 135 rural, low-income HIV-positive adults in Iringa, Tanzania. The relationships between religiosity, spirituality, coping responses, social support, and psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress) were examined using structural equation modeling. Religiosity was related to decreased avoidant coping and increased social support, which in turn were related to psychological distress. Spirituality was positively related to active coping and social support. Results suggest that coping strategies and social support may mediate the relationship between religiosity and spirituality and psychological distress. Interventions to reduce psychological distress among HIV-positive individuals in Tanzania might incorporate strategies to reduce avoidant coping and increase social support. According to the present findings, this may be accomplished through faith-based approaches that incorporate religious and spiritual activities into HIV prevention programs.
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More social support was moderately associated with lower levels of stress (β = -0.34, p < 0.01).
“Avoidant coping was moderate to strongly related to more depression ( β = 0.68, p < 0.01), anxiety ( β = 0.57, p < 0.01) and stress ( β = 0.54, p < 0.001) while more social support was weakly associated with lower levels of depression ( β = -0.27, p < 0.01) and moderately associated with lower levels of both anxiety ( β = -0.30, p < 0.001) and stress ( β = -0.34 , p < 0.01)”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
More social support was moderately associated with lower levels of anxiety (β = -0.30, p < 0.001).
“Avoidant coping was moderate to strongly related to more depression ( β = 0.68, p < 0.01), anxiety ( β = 0.57, p < 0.01) and stress ( β = 0.54, p < 0.001) while more social support was weakly associated with lower levels of depression ( β = -0.27, p < 0.01) and moderately associated with lower levels of both anxiety ( β = -0.30, p < 0.001) and stress ( β = -0.34 , p < 0.01)”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
In a Tanzania study, religiosity had a significant indirect relationship with mental health disorders through avoidant coping (Steglitz et al., 2012).
“A Tanzania study found a sig nificant indirect relationship between religiosity and spirituality with mental health disorders through avoi dant coping and social support, respectively (Steglitz et al., 2012).”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
Avoidant coping was moderate to strongly related to more depression (β = 0.68, p < 0.01).
“Avoidant coping was moderate to strongly related to more depression ( β = 0.68, p < 0.01), anxiety ( β = 0.57, p < 0.01) and stress ( β = 0.54, p < 0.001) while more social support was weakly associated with lower levels of depression ( β = -0.27, p < 0.01) and moderately associated with lower levels of both anxiety ( β = -0.30, p < 0.001) and stress ( β = -0.34 , p < 0.01)”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
More religiosity was weakly associated with more social support (β = 0.27, p < 0.05) (Steglitz et al., 2012).
“More religiosity was moderately associated with less avoidant coping ( β = -0.35, p < 0.05) and weakly associated with more social support ( β = 0.27 , p < 0.05) while being more spiritual was moderately related with more active coping ( β = 0.49, p < 0.001) and more social support ( β = 0.48, p < 0.001) (Steglitz et al., 2012).”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
Being more spiritual was moderately related with more active coping (β = 0.49, p < 0.001) (Steglitz et al., 2012).
“More religiosity was moderately associated with less avoidant coping ( β = -0.35, p < 0.05) and weakly associated with more social support ( β = 0.27 , p < 0.05) while being more spiritual was moderately related with more active coping ( β = 0.49, p < 0.001) and more social support ( β = 0.48, p < 0.001) (Steglitz et al., 2012).”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
More social support was weakly associated with lower levels of depression (β = -0.27, p < 0.01).
“Avoidant coping was moderate to strongly related to more depression ( β = 0.68, p < 0.01), anxiety ( β = 0.57, p < 0.01) and stress ( β = 0.54, p < 0.001) while more social support was weakly associated with lower levels of depression ( β = -0.27, p < 0.01) and moderately associated with lower levels of both anxiety ( β = -0.30, p < 0.001) and stress ( β = -0.34 , p < 0.01)”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
Being more spiritual was moderately related with more social support (β = 0.48, p < 0.001) (Steglitz et al., 2012).
“More religiosity was moderately associated with less avoidant coping ( β = -0.35, p < 0.05) and weakly associated with more social support ( β = 0.27 , p < 0.05) while being more spiritual was moderately related with more active coping ( β = 0.49, p < 0.001) and more social support ( β = 0.48, p < 0.001) (Steglitz et al., 2012).”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
Avoidant coping was moderate to strongly related to more stress (β = 0.54, p < 0.001).
“Avoidant coping was moderate to strongly related to more depression ( β = 0.68, p < 0.01), anxiety ( β = 0.57, p < 0.01) and stress ( β = 0.54, p < 0.001) while more social support was weakly associated with lower levels of depression ( β = -0.27, p < 0.01) and moderately associated with lower levels of both anxiety ( β = -0.30, p < 0.001) and stress ( β = -0.34 , p < 0.01)”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
In a Tanzania study, spirituality had a significant indirect relationship with mental health disorders through social support (Steglitz et al., 2012).
“A Tanzania study found a sig nificant indirect relationship between religiosity and spirituality with mental health disorders through avoi dant coping and social support, respectively (Steglitz et al., 2012).”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
In Steglitz et al. (2012), social support significantly mediated the relationship between spirituality and depression, anxiety, and stress (Z = -2.51, -2.54, -2.67; p < 0.01 for all).
“Mediation analysis showed there were significant indirect effects through social support between spirituality and depression (Z = -2.51 , p < 0.01), spirituality and anxiety (Z = -2.54, p < 0.01) and spirituality and stress (Z = -2.67, p < 0.01) (Steglitz et al., 2012).”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
More religiosity was moderately associated with less avoidant coping (β = -0.35, p < 0.05) (Steglitz et al., 2012).
“More religiosity was moderately associated with less avoidant coping ( β = -0.35, p < 0.05) and weakly associated with more social support ( β = 0.27 , p < 0.05) while being more spiritual was moderately related with more active coping ( β = 0.49, p < 0.001) and more social support ( β = 0.48, p < 0.001) (Steglitz et al., 2012).”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
Avoidant coping was moderate to strongly related to more anxiety (β = 0.57, p < 0.01).
“Avoidant coping was moderate to strongly related to more depression ( β = 0.68, p < 0.01), anxiety ( β = 0.57, p < 0.01) and stress ( β = 0.54, p < 0.001) while more social support was weakly associated with lower levels of depression ( β = -0.27, p < 0.01) and moderately associated with lower levels of both anxiety ( β = -0.30, p < 0.001) and stress ( β = -0.34 , p < 0.01)”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
The review's findings suggest that spirituality/religious practices (prayers and meditation) may promote mental health.
“This is consistent with our findings which suggest that spirituality/religious practices (prayers and meditation) may be promote mental health (Dalmida et al., 2009, 2013; Steglitz et al., 2012).”
From Resilience resources for mental health among people living with HIV: a mixed-method systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Steglitz et al., 2012
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References 51 · Cited by 38
- Authors
- Steglitz, J., Ng, R., Mosha, J. S., & Kershaw, T.
- Affiliations
- Yale University (US)
- Primary Health Care Institute (TZ)
- Corresponding author
- Kershaw, Trace
- Venue
- AIDS and Behavior
- Published
- 2012-07-15
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 2392-2398
- ISSN
- 1090-7165 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-3254
- OpenAlex
- W2047104600
- Cited by
- 38
- References
- 51
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 4
- FWCI
- 2.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- AIDS and Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Optimism, Hope, and Well-being
- Keywords
- religiosity, spirituality, HIV-infected adults, mental health, psychological distress, stress coping, social support, depression, anxiety, avoidance coping, active coping, faith-based interventions, Tanzania
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Anxiety, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Female, HIV Seropositivity, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Rural Population, Social Support, Socioeconomic Factors, Stress, Psychological, Tanzania, Spirituality, Young Adult
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