title: Severity of psychiatric symptoms after HIV testing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors were interested in the psychiatric effects of serological testing for HIV and what information feasibly available at intake might predict more severe psychiatric symptoms 1 year later.
  
  
  METHODS
  HIV testing in a private office setting was offered to adults at perceived risk for HIV infection but without AIDS. At entry, then 6 and 12 months later, subjects were counseled by psychiatric nurses and assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Beck Depression Inventory, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Brief Symptom Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean scores on all measures of psychiatric symptoms were lower at follow-up among both 106 HIV-positive and 222 HIV-negative adults. One year after HIV testing, 121 (37%) of the 328 subjects had scores associated with psychopathology. These elevated scores were not predicted by serostatus but by initial psychopathological scores (N = 150), annual income less than +15,000 (N = 114), being female (N = 46), and history of injection drug use (N = 32) and heterosexual risk factors (N = 60) as compared to males having sex with males (N = 236).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Before the development of more severe physical symptoms, on average, knowledge of HIV infection does not increase psychiatric morbidity; however, regardless of serostatus, a notable percentage of at-risk adults have sustained high levels of psychiatric symptoms. Counseling during the HIV testing process provides an opportunity to identify these individuals for closer study and indicated psychiatric treatment.
authors: HIV Clinical Research Program, Cornell University Medical College, New York.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Perry
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Jacobsberg
authors: C A
authors: CA
authors: Card
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Ashman
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Frances
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Fishman
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000523:psychology; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000523:psychology