Depression and social functioning among HIV-infected and uninfected persons in South Africa

Bibliographic Data

ID19440314
AuthorsKarl Peltzer (0000-0002-5980-0876, HIV/STIs and TB Research Programme, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa, corresponding author), Helena Szrek (0000-0002-5154-4679, Porto Business School, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal), Shandir Ramlagan (0000-0001-9906-4474, HIV/STIs and TB Research Programme, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa), Rui Leite (0000-0002-3262-8543, Universidade do Porto), Li‐Wei Chao (0000-0001-6358-5737, Human Sciences Research Council), Li-Wei Chao (HIV/STIs and TB Research Programme, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa)
Year2015
Volume27
Issue1
Pages41-46
Publication date2015-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAIDS Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0954-0121 • E-ISSN: 1360-0451
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09540121.2014.946383
PMID25105215
PMCIDPMC4221564
OpenAlexW1966460923
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited18

Depression and other health problems are common co-morbidities among persons living with human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The aim of this study was to investigate depression, health status, and substance use in relation to HIV-infected and uninfected individuals in South Africa. Using a cross-sectional case-control design, we compared depression, physical health, mental health, problem alcohol use, and tobacco use in a sample of HIV-infected (N = 143) and HIV-uninfected (N = 199) respondents who had known their HIV status for two months. We found that depression was higher, and physical health and mental health were lower in HIV-positive than HIV-negative individuals. Poor physical health also moderated the effect of HIV infection on depression; HIV-positive individuals were significantly more depressed than HIV-negative controls, but only when general physical health was also poor. We did not find an association between alcohol or tobacco use and HIV status. These results suggest the importance of incorporating the management of psychological health in the treatment of HIV

Environmental health · Mental health · Psychiatry · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Homelessness and Social Issues · Medicine · Immunology

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