Emotional problems and related factors in patients with HIV/AIDS / 中南大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#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.@*METHODS@#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.@*RESULTS@#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.@*CONCLUSION@#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.