[Emotional problems and related factors in patients with HIV/AIDS]

To investigate the prevalence and related factors of emotional problems of newly identified patients with HIV/AIDS in Changsha, Hunan Province, and to provide scientific evidence for the mental health intervention in this special population.

A total of 370 patients with HIV/AIDS who were newly identified by the Center for Disease Prevention and Control in Changsha City from March 1, 2013 to February 28, 2014 were investigated. Self-designed questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), HIV/AIDS Stress Scale and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were performed to assess the prevalence of depression, the anxiety symptoms, the HIV related stress and the status of social support.

The prevalence of depression and anxiety were 40.3% (PHQ-9 ≥ 10 points) and 30.5% (GAD-7 ≥ 10 points), respectively. Severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9≥20 points) and severe anxiety (GAD-7 ≥ 15 points) accounted for 8.1% and 14.3%, respectively. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that the status of employment (b=-3.407, P<0.001; b=-2.799, P=0.001), the sexual orientation (b=1.903, P=0.008; b=1.314, P=0.034), the resident status (b=-1.995, P=0.012; b=-2.167, P=0.002), the emergence of HIV-related symptoms(b=4.578, P<0.001; b=3.652, P<0.001) and the HIV related stress (b=0.081, P<0.001; b=0.090, P<0.001) were the predictors for both depressive and anxious emotional problems whereas the social support (b=-0.046, P=0.044) was the predictor for depressive emotional problems. Both anxiety (ΔR2=54.7%, P<0.001) and depression (ΔR2=55.8%, P<0.001) were strong predictors for patients with HIV/AIDS.

Depression and anxiety are prevalent among the newly identified patients with HIV/ AIDS. Psychosocial support and basic mental health services should be integrated into the current HIV/AIDS care system.