Abstract
<div class="column"><p><strong>Background. </strong><span>Globally, it is estimated that depressive features occur in 15 - 36% of people suffering from chronic diseases and 60% of people with HIV/AIDS. A high prevalence of mental disorders among HIV-infected individuals has been shown in South Africa and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Untreated depression leads to poor adherence to treatment and poor quality of life for patients with chronic diseases. </span></p><p><strong>Methods. </strong><span>Using the Zung self-rating scale, we screened for depressive features among adult patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) who attended primary healthcare facilities in the Rustenburg district of North West Province in South Africa during December 2009. </span></p><p><strong>Results. </strong><span>Among 117 participants, 81 (69.2 %) had mild depressive features, 2 (1.7%) had moderate depressive features, 1 (0.9 %) had severe depressive features and 33 (28.2%) did not have depressive features. Depressive features were more common in males (77.1%) than in females (69.5%), and were most common in patients taking the combination of efavirenz, lamivudine and stavudine.<br /> </span></p><p><strong>Conclusion. </strong><span>Depressive features seem to be common among adult patients receiving HAART and attending primary healthcare facilities in the Rustenburg district. </span></p></div>
Highlights
It is estimated that depressive features occur in 15 - 36% of people suffering from chronic diseases and 60% of people with HIV/AIDS
The South African Stress and Health (SASH) study found the prevalence rate of depressive symptomatology to be almost equal in both sexes,[6] and we found no statistical differences between males and females suffering from depressive features
This study found that depressive features are common among adult patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV/AIDS, who attend primary healthcare (PHC) facilities in Rustenburg district
Summary
It is estimated that depressive features occur in 15 - 36% of people suffering from chronic diseases and 60% of people with HIV/AIDS. Using the Zung self-rating scale, we screened for depressive features among adult patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) who attended primary healthcare facilities in the Rustenburg district of North West Province in South Africa during December 2009. Our study sought to establish the prevalence of depressive features among adult patients receiving HAART attending PHC facilities in Rustenburg, with a view to implementing a standard screening programme to identify patients and guide appropriate management. A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Zung self-rating depression scale to screen for depressive features.[12] All adult patients received HAART for >6 months who attended the PHC facilities in Rustenburg were included. Descriptive statistical analyses done depicted frequencies, prevalence rates, proportions, mean and median
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