Screening for psychological morbidity in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected pregnant women using community counselors in Zimbabwe.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the prevalence of psychological morbidity in HIV-infected and uninfected pregnant women seeking antenatal care in Zimbabwe.


METHODS
Pregnant women were screened for psychological morbidity at the initial antenatal care visit using the 14-item Shona Symptom Questionnaire (SSQ) before voluntary HIV counseling and testing (VCT). The primary outcome measure was "cases," as determined by a SSQ score of >or= 8. Demographic characteristics and HIV status were compared between cases and noncases to determine the risk factors for psychological morbidity.


RESULTS
Of the 437 participants, psychological morbidity was detected in 73 (17%) women before undergoing VCT. Risk factors for psychological morbidity included having a spouse older than 35 years of age. HIV infection by itself was not a risk factor for psychological morbidity for women.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a high burden of psychological morbidity among pregnant women in Zimbabwe. Mental health services should be integrated into antenatal care to improve psychological health for all women in Zimbabwe.
Department of Pediatrics, College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Lynda
L
Stranix-Chibanda
Dixon
D
Chibanda
Albert
A
Chingono
Elizabeth
E
Montgomery
Jennifer
J
Wells
Yvonne
Y
Maldonado
Tsungai
T
Chipato
Avinash K
AK
Shetty
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology