Reported Suicide Attempts among Adolescents in Uganda: Differences by HIV Status

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• HIV/AIDS Research

Background:

• Suicide is a major global health issue, particularly affecting adolescents.
• Adolescents with perinatally-acquired HIV (PHIV) face unique vulnerabilities, including stigma and mental health challenges.
• Ugandan adolescents with PHIV experience a high burden of mental health issues, with limited data on suicide attempts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine lifetime suicide attempts, depressive symptoms, and adverse experiences in Ugandan adolescents with PHIV.
• To compare these outcomes between adolescents with PHIV and demographically matched HIV-negative adolescents.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 100 Ugandan adolescents (ages 12-20), with 50 PHIV and 50 HIV-negative.
• Utilized Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-A (PHQ-A), and Adolescent Life Events Questionnaire (ALEQ).
• Employed independent t-tests and chi-square analyses for statistical comparisons between groups.

Main Results:

• Adolescents with PHIV reported significantly higher scores for depressive symptoms (PHQ-A), life events (ALEQ), and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) compared to HIV-negative peers.
• 14% of adolescents with PHIV reported at least one suicide attempt, versus 0% in the HIV-negative group (p=.02).
• The PHIV group exhibited more depressive symptoms and psychosocial stressors, despite overall low depression scores.

Conclusions:

• Adolescents with PHIV in Uganda face a higher risk of suicide attempts and mental health challenges.
• Increased psychosocial stressors and adverse experiences contribute to the vulnerability of PHIV adolescents.
• Urgent mental health interventions and support systems are crucial for adolescents living with PHIV.