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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.
Psychological distress among persons living with HIV, hypertension, and diabetes
- Author:
- KAGEE Ashraf
- Journal article citation:
- AIDS Care, 22(12), December 2010, pp.1517-1521.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
It has been assumed that receipt of a diagnosis of HIV is a uniquely distressing event, more so than with any other illness. This article examines the extent to which sub-clinical psychological distress among South Africans living with HIV is any different from patients living with other chronic diseases, namely hypertension and diabetes. The study compared the mean scores on the Hopkins Symptom Checklist, a measure of emotional distress, of 85 patients with HIV/AIDS, 85 patients with hypertension, 25 with diabetes, and 14 patients with both hypertension and diabetes. The differences among the 4 groups were non-significant, suggesting that living with HIV/AIDS may be no more emotionally distressing than other common chronic illnesses. It is speculated that these findings may be accounted for in terms of the high prevalence of HIV in South Africa, the recent availability of antiretroviral treatment resulting in HIV being seen as a chronic illness rather than a death sentence, and the base rate of mental health problems among the South African population.