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Updated: Jun 18, 2026
05:53
Measuring Frailty in HIV-infected Individuals. Identification of Frail Patients is the First Step to Amelioration and Reversal of Frailty
Published on: July 24, 2013
Routine screening for depression: identifying a challenge for successful HIV care
E Shacham1, D Nurutdinova, V Satyanarayana
1George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63112, USA. eshacham@wustl.edu
AIDS Patient Care and Stds
|November 21, 2009
Summary
Depression symptoms are common in people with HIV, especially those who are unemployed or have a detectable viral load. Early screening and intervention for depression are crucial for improving HIV health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Public health
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Individuals with HIV often experience psychological distress.
- Depressive symptomatology can fluctuate throughout the course of HIV infection.
- Routine medical care for HIV patients may include behavioral assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the associations between depressive symptomatology and HIV disease.
- To determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms in an urban HIV clinic.
- To identify risk factors associated with depressive symptoms in the HIV population.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study design.
- Behavioral assessment including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depressive symptoms.
- Collected demographic characteristics and behavioral risk factors from 514 participants.
Main Results:
- One quarter of the sample reported symptoms of other depressive disorder; 18% reported major depressive disorder.
- Unemployment, having a minor dependent, younger age (18-34), and detectable HIV viral load were associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms among those on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).
- Nearly 15% reported suicidal thoughts; unemployment was linked to a higher likelihood of suicidal ideation, regardless of HAART status.
Conclusions:
- Depressive symptomatology is significantly associated with HIV disease indicators like detectable viral load.
- Unemployment is a key risk factor for both depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in individuals with HIV.
- Screening for and intervening in depressive symptoms are essential in HIV outpatient settings to improve patient outcomes and viral suppression.
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