Religious Relief: Exploring the Role of Religion and Spirituality Among a Broad Range of People Living With HIV

This article explores the buffering role of religion and spirituality in the lives of people living with HIV (PLWH). Participants (N = 239) included a gender-balanced sample of African American (N = 131), White (N = 69), and Latinx/Other (N = 39) individuals living with HIV in an urban city in the Southwestern United States. Participants completed self-report measures related to their personal experiences with HIV, religion and spirituality, mental health, and health-related quality of life. HIV stigma was associated with higher depressive symptoms and lower mental health-related quality of life but was not related to physical health-related quality of life. Engagement in higher levels of religious behaviors buffered the deleterious relationship between stigma and depression, but not between stigma and mental health-related quality of life or physical health-related quality of life. We conclude by discussing limitations, areas for future research, and implications for practitioners working with this population.