Analyses of nursing home residents with human immunodeficiency virus and depression using the minimum data set

This study compares nursing home residents with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who have a diagnosis of depression to other nursing home residents with HIV. We analyzed 1057 HIV residents with a diagnosis of depression and 4057 other residents with HIV using admission assessments recorded in the minimum data set between June 22, 1998 and January 17, 2000. Residents with HIV and depression were significantly more likely to be older, female, and white than other residents with HIV. Residents with HIV and depression were twice as likely as other residents with HIV to have a history of mental health conditions and were significantly more likely to have unsettled relationships. However, there were no significant differences between these two groups of residents with HIV in levels of physical disability or in cognitive ability. Residents with HIV and depression were significantly more likely to have unstable health conditions, to be at the end stage of disease, and to have other diseases and infections than other residents with HIV. One third of residents with HIV and depression did not receive antidepressants and most had not been evaluated by a mental health specialist in the last 90 days or received psychological therapy in the previous 7 days. Many residents with HIV and depression are not receiving antidepressants or mental health services in nursing homes. Additional research is needed to determine how the mental health needs of residents with HIV change as their stay in the nursing home increases and how mental health therapies affect their health.