Premium
SOCIAL SUPPORT DISPARITIES FOR CAREGIVERS OF AIDS‐ORPHANED CHILDREN IN SOUTH AFRICA
Author(s) -
Kuo Caroline,
Fitzgerald Jane,
Operario Don,
Casale Marisa
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/jcop.20521
Subject(s) - social support , psychological intervention , psychology , cross sectional study , medicine , gerontology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , social psychology , pathology
Drawing upon a sample of 1,599 adults caring for children in HIV‐endemic Umlazi Township in South Africa, this cross‐sectional survey investigated whether perceived social support varied among caregivers of AIDS‐orphaned children (n = 359) as compared with caregivers of children orphaned by other causes (n = 171) and caregivers of nonorphaned children (n = 1,069). Results of multivariate linear regressions indicate that caregivers of AIDS‐orphaned children reported significantly lower levels of social support compared with caregivers of other‐orphaned children and nonorphaned children independent of socio‐demographic covariates. Caregivers of other‐orphaned and nonorphaned children reported similar levels of social support. In terms of sources of support, all caregivers were more likely to draw support from family and significant others rather than friends. These findings indicate a need to develop interventions that can increase levels of social support for caregivers of AIDS‐orphaned children, particularly networks that include friends and significant others.