Rates of depression among men attending high-HIV-caseload general practices in Australia

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Public Health
• General Practice

Background:

• High rates of depression are prevalent in general practice settings.
• Men, particularly those with HIV or non-heterosexual/homosexual identities, may experience elevated depression.
• Accurate identification of depression in primary care is crucial for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the rates of current depression among men attending general practices with high Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) caseloads in New South Wales and South Australia.
• To evaluate the concordance between general practitioners (GPs), the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and patient self-reporting in identifying depression.
• To identify demographic groups with the highest prevalence of depression within this population.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study was conducted in general practices in New South Wales and South Australia.
• Current depression was assessed using two methods: clinical judgment by the treating GP and patient self-reporting via the PHQ-9.
• Data were collected from men attending these high-HIV-caseload practices.

Main Results:

• GPs, the PHQ-9 screening tool, and patient self-reporting demonstrated equal likelihood in identifying current depression.
• High rates of current depression were observed across the study population.
• Men with HIV and men not identifying as heterosexual or homosexual exhibited the highest rates of depression.

Conclusions:

• The findings support the utility of both clinical assessment by GPs and the PHQ-9 tool for depression screening in primary care.
• Men attending general practices, especially those with HIV or diverse sexual orientations, represent a vulnerable group requiring targeted mental health support.
• Integrated care approaches may be beneficial for addressing the high burden of depression in these populations.