title: HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B and C prevalence among patients with mental illness: a review of the literature.
abstract: A limited number of studies worldwide have investigated the prevalence of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B and C infection among psychiatric patients. However, prevalence of these infections in the population with chronic mental illness has not been clearly established. Most of the published papers are from developed countries and have derived from relatively small and non-representative samples. We performed a systematic review of the published literature to identify studies on these infectious diseases within psychiatric populations in Brazil and other developing countries. Overall, prevalence rates varied from 0% to 29% for HIV; 1.6% to 66% for HBV; 0.4% to 38% for HCV; and 1.1% to 7.6% for syphilis. Several risk factors were identified and discussed, although sampling limitations restrict the generalization of study findings. This review highlights the lack of information on the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and their associated factors among persons with chronic mental illness and identifies gaps in the knowledge base in both developing and developed countries.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
authors.forename: Lorenza Nogueira
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Mark Drew Crosland
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Ricardo Andrade
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Carmo
authors.forename: Ana Paula Souto
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Helian Nunes de
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Elkington
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McKinnon
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000635:transmission; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D013587:Syphilis / Q000453:epidemiology*