Socio-Demographic and Clinical Correlates of Depression among HIV Patients in Sukkur, Sindh

Abstract

Background: Depression is one of the common mental health disorders among HIV-positive patients; it affects their adherence to antiretroviral therapy and quality of life. The sociodemographic and clinical correlates of depression among HIV-positive patients in Sukkur, Sindh, are not well studied.

The objective of this study was to identify sociodemographic and clinical correlates of depression among HIV-positive individuals in Sukkur, Sindh.

Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2023 at the tertiary level HIV/AIDS clinic at Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College (GMMC) Hospital Sukkur, Pakistan. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 40 HIV-positive patients selected by convenience sampling. The severity of depression was measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). The socio-demographic variables, co-infections, and ART duration data were also obtained. For this purpose, statistical tests consisted of chi-square tests.

Results: Most participants were male, 80%, and the mean age for the participants was 30.72 years. At the time of assessment, 25% of the patients had a moderate severity of depression, while 15% had severe depression. Co-infections with Hepatitis B, p=0.043, and Hepatitis C, p=0.030, were significantly associated with higher depression severity. However, no significant association was found between depression and sociodemographic factors such as gender, marital status, or ART duration.

This study has shown how much co-infections, especially Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, contribute to increased depression in patients with HIV. Interventions for mental health along with the management of co-infections are required among these patients.