Association between documented mental health disorders and HIV treatment outcomes among adults receiving antiretroviral therapy in rural Zimbabwe
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19536639 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Laston Gonah (0000-0001-6070-2176, Walter Sisulu University, corresponding author), Jacqueline Nyamadzawo (Gweru Provincial Hospital) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-20 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | BioPsychoSocial Medicine (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1751-0759 • E-ISSN: 1751-0759 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1186/s13030-026-00361-3 |
| PMID | 42163275 |
| OpenAlex | W7161799012 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 21 |
BACKGROUND: Mental health conditions undermine HIV treatment outcomes, yet evidence from routine care settings in rural Zimbabwe remains limited. AIM: To examine the association between documented mental health disorders and retention in care and viral suppression among adults receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) at a rural hospital in central Zimbabwe. METHODS: This retrospective cohort analysis used routinely collected clinical data to examine associations between documented mental health disorders and retention in care and viral suppression among adults living with HIV receiving ART. Sixty-four adults with comorbid HIV and documented mental health disorders were included as cases and matched 1:1 by age (± 1 year), sex, and duration on ART (± 1 year) to 64 adults without documented mental health disorders or other chronic treatment-related conditions, resulting in a total analytic sample of 128 participants. Ficher's exact test and ordered logistic regression models were used to assess associations between mental health disorders and treatment outcomes, adjusting for relevant demographic covariates. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of documented mental health disorders (predominantly psychosis and anxiety) in this study population was low (3.6%), indicating potential underdiagnosis in routine HIV care. Documented mental health disorders were significantly associated with poorer retention in care and lower rates of viral suppression compared with controls (p < 0.05, respectively), with psychosis and suicidality particularly associated with non-retention. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the need to strengthen mental health integration within HIV care. Targeted interventions for high-risk groups, systematic mental health screening, improved HIV-mental health data integration, and task-shifting to trained non-specialist health workers may improve clinical decision-making and support adherence, retention in care and viral suppression in similar resource-limited settings
Antiretroviral therapy · Association (psychology) · Cross-sectional study · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) · MEDLINE · Mental health · Mental health care · Public health · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Syphilis Diagnosis and Treatment
Sample Size Justification
Quantifying the global burden of mental disorders and their economic value
Prevalence of chronic conditions and multimorbidity among healthcare workers in Zimbabwe
Engaging women and men in the gender-synchronised, community-based Mbereko+Men intervention to improve maternal mental health and perinatal care-seeking in Manicaland, Zimbabwe
Barriers and facilitators to accessing mental health services among young people living with HIV and healthcare professionals in Mozambique
Mental Health, ART Adherence, and Viral Suppression Among Adolescents and Adults Living with HIV in South Africa
Improvements in Retention in Care and HIV Viral Suppression Among Persons with HIV and Comorbid Mental Health Conditions
| Highly cited | No |
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