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Symptoms of depression and anxiety among a sample of South African patients living with HIV
- Authors:
- KAGEE Ashraf, MARTIN Lindi
- Journal article citation:
- AIDS Care, 22(2), February 2010, pp.159-165.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Little systematic epidemiological research has been conducted on the extent of psychiatric disorders among South African patients in general, and among patients living with HIV in particular – yet disorders such as depression and anxiety appear to be common with patients suffering from HIV. This study reports on a survey conducted among 85 patients receiving treatment at three HIV clinics in the Western Cape. Participants completed the Hopkins Symptom Checklist and the Beck Depression Inventory - both self-report instruments designed to measure mood disorder. The mean score of the sample on the Hopkins Symptom Checklist was 47.54, which was significantly different from the commonly used cut-off-point of 44 for clinically significant distress; 52.9% of the sample scored in the elevated range on this measure. On the Beck Depression Inventory, 37.6% of the sample fell in or above the normal range for depression. The results suggest that a considerable number of the sample may experience psychiatric difficulty, for which they may not be receiving treatment.