Analysis of Factors Influencing Depression in Elderly People Living with HIV/AIDS Based on Structural Equation Model: A Cross-Sectional Study in Guangxi, China

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study is to understand the current status of depression and medical social support in elderly HIV/AIDS, as well as the role of social support on depression, so as to provide a certain reference for reducing the occurrence of depression in the population. METHODS: A total of 115 participants with PLWHA (people living with HIV/AIDS) aged 50 years or older were collected in Guilin from December 2021 to July 2022. Depression and medical social support were assessed using the Center for Streaming Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Medical Social Support Scale (MOS-SSS). The structural equation model was used to examine the relationship between medical social support and depression. RESULTS: Sixty-one of 115 participants developed depressive symptoms with a prevalence of 53.0%. The results of univariate analysis showed that ethnicity, health status, mean monthly income, antiviral treatment status, and medical social support influenced PLWHA depression (P<0.05). Simple linear regression showed that health status (95% CI: −9.901~-2.635), and antiviral treatment status (95% CI: −12.969~-3.394) influent depression (P<0.05). There were associations between total medical social support, practical support dimension, message and emotional support dimension, social interactive cooperation dimension, emotional support dimension and depression (unadjusted and adjusted for contextual factors) (P < 0.05). Using multiple linear regression analyses, we found that medical-social support was negatively associated with depression with a standardized effect value of −0.223. PLWHA with higher medical social support had lower prevalence of depression. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the prevalence of depression among HIV/AIDS patients in Guilin is high. So the joint efforts of individuals, families, and society are needed to improve the physical and mental health of the PLWHA.