Religious Congregations and the Growing Needs of Older Adults with HIV

By 2015, half of those with HIV will be over age 50. This group has a high level of needs, lacks social supports, and will need to access community services such as those provided by religious congregations. We examined whether disclosure to a congregation would pose a barrier to accessing congregational services among adults 50 and older with HIV (n = 819). Fifty-three percent had disclosed, but those who did not disclose generally remained engaged with their congregations. Findings suggest that congregations can be a feasible source of support for older adults with HIV.