title: Depression and social functioning among HIV-infected and uninfected persons in South Africa.
abstract: Depression and other health problems are common co-morbidities among persons living with human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The aim of this study was to investigate depression, health status, and substance use in relation to HIV-infected and uninfected individuals in South Africa. Using a cross-sectional case-control design, we compared depression, physical health, mental health, problem alcohol use, and tobacco use in a sample of HIV-infected (N = 143) and HIV-uninfected (N = 199) respondents who had known their HIV status for two months. We found that depression was higher, and physical health and mental health were lower in HIV-positive than HIV-negative individuals. Poor physical health also moderated the effect of HIV infection on depression; HIV-positive individuals were significantly more depressed than HIV-negative controls, but only when general physical health was also poor. We did not find an association between alcohol or tobacco use and HIV status. These results suggest the importance of incorporating the management of psychological health in the treatment of HIV.
authors.affiliation: a HIV/STIs and TB Research Programme , Human Sciences Research Council , Pretoria , South Africa.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peltzer
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Szrek
authors.forename: Shandir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramlagan
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Li-Wei
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Chao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012919:Social Behavior; D013019:South Africa
keywords: HIV status; South Africa; co-morbidity; depression; mental health; physical health
references.citation: Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2005 Sep;39(9):826-32
references.pmid: 16168041
references.citation: Arch Intern Med. 1998 Sep 14;158(16):1789-95
references.pmid: 9738608
references.citation: Hum Genet. 2012 Jun;131(6):905-15
references.pmid: 22526528
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 2001 May;158(5):725-30
references.pmid: 11329393
references.citation: Judgm Decis Mak. 2012 Nov;7(6):716-727
references.pmid: 24307919
references.citation: East Afr Med J. 2003 Oct;80(10):503-12
references.pmid: 15250622
references.citation: CNS Spectr. 2003 Jan;8(1):52-8
references.pmid: 12627049
references.citation: J Affect Disord. 2013 Feb 20;145(2):221-6
references.pmid: 23017542
references.citation: Addiction. 2011 May;106(5):906-14
references.pmid: 21382111
references.citation: J Psychosom Res. 2007 Aug;63(2):203-6
references.pmid: 17662758
references.citation: Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1998 Apr;97(4):267-71
references.pmid: 9570486
references.citation: Afr J AIDS Res. 2011 Jun;10(2):101-22
references.pmid: 25859733
references.citation: Am J Prev Med. 1994 Mar-Apr;10(2):77-84
references.pmid: 8037935
references.citation: Drug Alcohol Depend. 2011 Sep 1;117(2-3):158-63
references.pmid: 21345624
references.citation: J Gen Intern Med. 2002 Jul;17(7):512-20
references.pmid: 12133141
references.citation: Niger J Clin Pract. 2013 Apr-Jun;16(2):238-42
references.pmid: 23563469
references.citation: Afr J AIDS Res. 2009 Jun;8(2):123-33
references.pmid: 25875564
references.citation: JAMA. 2006 Mar 22;295(12):1376-8
references.pmid: 16551708
references.citation: Afr Health Sci. 2012 Mar;12(1):8-16
references.pmid: 23066414
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1994 Jan;51(1):39-49
references.pmid: 8279928
references.citation: East Afr Med J. 2004 Nov;81(11):594-8
references.pmid: 15868970