Abstract
BackgroundGlobally, 350 million people are affected by depression and 800,000 people die due to suicide every year due to depression. People living with HIV/AIDS face different challenges, including HIV-related perceived stigma, lack of social support and also depression. This study aimed to assess prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptom among people living with HIV/AIDS attending Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Hawassa, Ethiopia.MethodsHospital-based cross-sectional study was implemented in 2016. A total of 401 HIV-positive patients who had regular visit at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Hawassa, Ethiopia were included in the study. Systematic random sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. Patient Health Questionnaire item nine (PHQ-9) was used to assess depressive symptoms. In addition to this, Oslo social support scale and HIV perceived stigma scale were used to assess social support and HIV-related perceived stigma, respectively.ResultsA total of 401 study participants were included in the study, giving a response rate of 96.2%. The mean age of the respondents was 38 years (SD ± 10.23). This study revealed that 48.6% of HIV-positive patients had depression. Patients who had poor social support [AOR = 2.53, (95% CI 1.70, 9.13)], HIV-related perceived stigma [AOR = 2.83, (95% CI 1.78, 4.48)] and CD4 cell count < 200 [AOR = 3.89, (95% CI 1.02, 14.83)] were more likely to have depression as compared to individuals who had good social support, no perceived HIV stigma and CD4 cell count > 200, respectively.ConclusionHaving poor social support, HIV-related perceived stigma and low CD4 cell count (< 200) had statistically significant association with depressive symptom. Training of health workers in ART clinics and availing manuals on assessing mental health issues is useful to screen and treat depression among HIV patients.
Highlights
350 million people are affected by depression and 800,000 people die due to suicide every year due to depression
This study aims to assess the prevalence and factors of depressive symptom among people living with HIV attending Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, ART clinic, South Ethiopia
Among 1440 HIV patients who had regular follow-up at ART clinics, 417 study participants were recruited for the study; those unable to communicate because of their illness and those who need intensive care were excluded from the study
Summary
350 million people are affected by depression and 800,000 people die due to suicide every year due to depression. People living with HIV/AIDS face different challenges, including HIV-related perceived stigma, lack of social support and depression. Different studies in 2013 revealed that an estimated 35 million people were living with HIV/AIDS, of which 24.7 million are living in Sub-Saharan Africa and 1.6 million people died related to HIV/AIDS [2]. According to the WHO 2015 report, 350 million people were affected by depression worldwide. Due to this problem, over 800,000 people die by suicide every year globally [4]. WHO estimated that the incidence of suicide related to depression will reach approximately 1.53 million people by the year 2020. Based on finding from general population study, the life-time risk of depression is one in five women and one in ten men in their lifetime [5]
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