title: Psychiatric diagnoses in adolescents seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide a descriptive analysis of the prevalence of past and current psychiatric disorders in adolescents positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Structured interview in a convenience sample in a primary care urban adolescent clinic in Washington, DC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four HIV-seropositive adolescents ranging in age from 16 to 21 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders-Patient Edition (SCID-P) was administered by a child psychiatrist or a clinical child psychologist. Extensive review of medical records was also conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A majority of the HIV-infected adolescents in our sample had received psychiatric diagnoses prior to their treatment at the clinic (53%), had a documented history of sexual abuse (50%), and had a history of substance use (82%). Psychiatric diagnoses determined by the SCID-P indicated that 85% of the sample had a current Axis I disorder, with 44% reporting ongoing depressive disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of subjects in this sample had had a previous psychiatric diagnosis, and almost half had a current affective disorder. Psychiatric disorders, especially affective disorders, may be a risk factor for high-risk sexual behaviors and substance use that increases the risk for HIV infection in adolescent populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lyon
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Schuman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tipnis
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Mrazek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004219:District of Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*