In South Africa, over two million children have lost at least one parent to HIV. Youth who are orphaned by the AIDS epidemic have significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress than non-orphaned youth, or orphans whose parents died from other causes.
Researchers, including JSI's Melissa Sharer, explored the biological and social support relationship between youth orphaned by HIV/AIDS and their caregivers to identify factors related to positive mental health outcomes. 254 orphaned youths were selected from a 2009 cross-sectional survey to examine caregiver relationships and their affect on the mental health of the youth. Download the full article for research methodology and findings.
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