Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Psychiatric Comorbidity of Unipolar Mood, Anxiety, and Trauma Disorders Prior to HIV Testing and the Effect on Linkage to Care Among HIV-Infected Adults in South Africa.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Belus, JM; Cholera, R; Miller, WC; Bassett, J; Gaynes, BN
Published in: AIDS Behav
December 2019

Psychiatric comorbidity, the presence of two or more psychiatric disorders, leads to worse HIV outcomes in the United States; this relationship has not been studied in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a preliminary study to describe the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity (unipolar mood, anxiety, and trauma disorders) among 363 adults prior to HIV testing at Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre, a primary care clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa. We also examined whether psychiatric comorbidity predicted subsequent linkage to HIV care 3 months later. Prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity prior to HIV testing was approximately 5.5%. In the final HIV-positive subsample (n = 76), psychiatric comorbidity of unipolar mood, anxiety, and trauma disorders did not predict linkage to care [adjusted relative risk = 1.01 (0.59, 1.71)] or number of follow-up appointments (adjusted relative risk = 0.86 (0.40, 1.82)]. A similar psychiatric profile emerged for HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals before becoming aware of their HIV status. The psychiatric burden typically seen in HIV-positive individuals may manifest over time.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

AIDS Behav

DOI

EISSN

1573-3254

Publication Date

December 2019

Volume

23

Issue

12

Start / End Page

3444 / 3451

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • South Africa
  • Public Health
  • Prevalence
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • HIV Infections
  • Female
  • Depressive Disorder, Major
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Belus, J. M., Cholera, R., Miller, W. C., Bassett, J., & Gaynes, B. N. (2019). Psychiatric Comorbidity of Unipolar Mood, Anxiety, and Trauma Disorders Prior to HIV Testing and the Effect on Linkage to Care Among HIV-Infected Adults in South Africa. AIDS Behav, 23(12), 3444–3451. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-019-02586-6
Belus, Jennifer M., Rushina Cholera, William C. Miller, Jean Bassett, and Bradley N. Gaynes. “Psychiatric Comorbidity of Unipolar Mood, Anxiety, and Trauma Disorders Prior to HIV Testing and the Effect on Linkage to Care Among HIV-Infected Adults in South Africa.AIDS Behav 23, no. 12 (December 2019): 3444–51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-019-02586-6.
Belus, Jennifer M., et al. “Psychiatric Comorbidity of Unipolar Mood, Anxiety, and Trauma Disorders Prior to HIV Testing and the Effect on Linkage to Care Among HIV-Infected Adults in South Africa.AIDS Behav, vol. 23, no. 12, Dec. 2019, pp. 3444–51. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s10461-019-02586-6.
Journal cover image

Published In

AIDS Behav

DOI

EISSN

1573-3254

Publication Date

December 2019

Volume

23

Issue

12

Start / End Page

3444 / 3451

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • South Africa
  • Public Health
  • Prevalence
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • HIV Infections
  • Female
  • Depressive Disorder, Major