Brief report: Factors associated with depression among homeless and marginally housed HIV-infected men in San Francisco.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence of and factors associated with depression among HIV-infected homeless and marginally housed men.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Homeless and marginally housed men living with HIV in San Francisco identified from the Research on Access to Care in the Homeless (REACH) Cohort.


METHODS
The primary outcome was symptoms of depression, as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify associations of sociodemographic characteristics, drug and alcohol use, housing status, jail status, having a representative payee, health care utilization, and CD4 T lymphocyte counts.


RESULTS
Among 239 men, 134 (56%) respondents screened positive for depression. Variables associated with depression in multivariate analysis included white race (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=2.2, confidence interval [CI]=1.3 to 3.9), having a representative payee (AOR=2.4, CI=1.3 to 4.2), heavy alcohol consumption (AOR=4.7, CI=1.3 to 17.1), and recently missed medical appointments (AOR=2.6, CI=1.4 to 4.8).


CONCLUSIONS
Depression is a major comorbidity among the HIV-infected urban poor. Given that missed medical appointments and alcohol use are likely indicators of depression and contributors to continued depression, alternate points of contact are necessary with many homeless individuals. Providers may consider partnering with payees to improve follow-up with individuals who are HIV-positive, homeless, and depressed.
Weiser
Sheri D
SD
Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. sweiser@itsa.ucsf.edu
Riley
Elise D
ED
Ragland
Kathleen
K
Hammer
Gwendolyn
G
Clark
Richard
R
Bangsberg
David R
DR
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009819:Office Visits; D012307:Risk Factors; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000191:economics