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Depression among persons attending a HIV/AIDS outpatient clinic in Kingston, Jamaica

T R Clarke1, R C Gibson, G Barrow

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica.

The West Indian Medical Journal
|March 2, 2011
PubMed

Insights

A study in Jamaica found that 43% of HIV/AIDS patients attending a clinic had depression. This highlights the critical need for routine depression screening in this vulnerable population.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • HIV/AIDS is a chronic condition requiring ongoing clinical management.
  • Depression is a common comorbidity in individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
  • Understanding depression prevalence in HIV/AIDS clinics is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of depression among patients at a HIV/AIDS clinic in Kingston, Jamaica.
  • To investigate patient-specific clinical and social factors influencing the relationship between HIV/AIDS and depression.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted over three months at a HIV/AIDS clinic in Kingston, Jamaica.
  • Eligible patients were interviewed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depression screening.
  • Clinical and socio-demographic data were collected from a pre-existing clinic database.

Main Results:

  • Out of 63 participating patients, 43% (n=36) were identified as depressed.
  • No statistically significant associations were found between depression and explored sociodemographic or clinical factors (p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

  • The study revealed a high prevalence of depression among attendees of the HIV/AIDS clinic.
  • Routine depression screening is recommended for patients receiving care at HIV/AIDS clinics.
  • Addressing mental health needs is essential for comprehensive HIV/AIDS patient management.
Abstract

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