RESUMEN
Depression and anxiety are the most common mental disorder affecting individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Anxiety is highly prevalent in HIV infected individuals in clinical studies. Early identification and treatment of depression and anxiety in patients may improve better outcome of ART Therapy. We wanted to evaluate the prevalence of depression and anxiety among HIV patients taking antiretroviral therapy and examine the predicting effect of depression and anxiety with demographics on CD4 count. MethodsThis study was conducted in the ART Plus center in Department of Medicine, PT JNM Medical college, Raipur, Chhattisgarh and Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital between July 2018 and June 2019. A total of 300 patients who were enrolled in the ART plus center, gave consent to participate in study. Participants were selected in systematic random sampling method irrespective of their age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, occupation, education, and present CD4 count. Starting CD4 count was assessed on enrolment to ART center and present CD4 count repeated at the time of recruitment to our study. Depression was evaluated using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and anxiety was measured by Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale by a Psychiatrist. ResultsThe first model showed 8.8% of total variance (R= .297, R2=.088; F (5, 298) = 5.683; p<0.01) for starting CD4 count and second model showed 6.7% of total variance (R=.259, R2=.067; F (5, 298) = 4.221; p<0.01) for present CD4 count with five predictor variables (depression, treatment year, gender, age, anxiety). Depression of the patients was negatively associated with starting CD4 count (-.085, p<0.01) before starting ART Regimen. Treatment year of the patients was positively associated with present CD4 count (-.085, p<0.01). ConclusionsThe study demonstrates high prevalence of anxiety and depression among HIV positive patients taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) and strong correlation of depression and anxiety and its associated factors among HIV positive patients taking ART. High depression reported lower level of CD4 count before starting ART regimen.