Depression Among HIV/AIDS Patients on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in the Southwest Regional Hospitals of Cameroon: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

IntroductionHIV patients are now having longer life expectancies with the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, the issue of mental illness has surfaced with depression being the most common in these patients, which has markedly reduced patient adherence to ART. In Cameroon, the management of HIV/AIDS does not incorporate psychiatric manifestations and depression is therefore underdiagnosed. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence and determinants of depressive symptoms and their association with adherence to ART among HIV/AIDS patients on HAART in the Southwest Regional Hospitals of Cameroon.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional hospital-based study carried out in the BRH and LRH over a 3-month period. Three hundred HIV patients aged 21 and above were recruited. Depression and adherence to treatment were assessed using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale questionnaires, respectively. Data were analysed using Epi-info version 3.4.5.ResultsThe prevalence of depression was 26.7% (95% CI 20.6–33.7%); 75.0% of those with depression were non-adherent to HAART compared to 37.3% of those without depression (p value <0.001). The statistically significant risk factors associated with depression were unemployment (OR 2.38; 95% CI 1.26–4.50), age ≤40 years (OR 2.13; 95% CI 1.20–3.70) and CD4 counts ≤200 cells/µl (OR 3.70; 95% CI 1.45–9.09).ConclusionThe prevalence of depression was high and depression was significantly associated with non-adherence to HAART. Interventions to enhance early identification and treatment of depression in patients with HIV/AIDS are needed. Depression screening should be included as part of the routine consultation of HIV/AIDS patients to ensure early detection and treatment.

<p>Depression and Associated Factors Among Adult HIV/AIDS Patients Attending Antiretroviral Therapy at Wolaita Sodo University Teaching and Referral Hospital, Southern Ethiopia</p>

“…This study finding is higher than the findings in India, Myanmar, Jamaica, Cameroon, Malawi, pooled prevalence in Ethiopia, Tigray, Debremarkos, Debrebiran, Yekatit 12, in which prevalence was reported from 11.7% to 43.9%. [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] The variation might be due to data collection instruments, and study participant's difference. This finding shows that males living with HIV were about 1.5 times more likely to develop depression compared to females.…”

Prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among people living with HIV attending tertiary care hospitals in Oman

“…Until then, the finding from this study suggests that older patients with HIV and patients with a long duration of living with HIV shall be targeted for mental health interventions. Depressive symptoms in PLHIV have been shown in several studies to negatively impact the link to and retention in care and adherence to antiretroviral therapies [ 32 , 33 ]. In addition, depression is also associated with poor adherence to lifestyles that have the potential to mitigate distress and enhance wellbeing [ 8 ].…”

Oral health and health-related quality of life in HIV patients

“…The proper use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has extended the life expectancy of people living with HIV/AIDS [ 1 ]. In consequence, several health-related outcomes have been observed, that contributed to a higher frequency of chronic comorbidities [ 2 – 4 ], depression and depressive symptoms [ 5 , 6 ] that lead to a poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL) [ 3 , 6 – 8 ] and increases the risk of low adherence to ART [ 9 ]. Assessing depression symptoms before initiating ART may be effective to improve adherence and characterize the health-related quality of life of these patients [ 10 ].…”