Original Research
Treating depression in HIV/AIDS
Submitted: 02 October 2007 | Published: 01 August 2007
About the author(s)
M Y H Moosa, Department of Neurosciences, Division of Psychiatry, University of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgF Y Jeenah, Department of Neurosciences, Division of Psychiatry, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
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PDF (113KB)Abstract
Currently available antidepressant medications are equally effective in treating HIV/AIDS patients and the general population. Furthermore, intervention studies have shown that psychotherapy reduces depressive symptoms and is well tolerated. Interpersonal psychotherapy is more successful than supportive psychotherapy in lessening depression, and patients experience improved functioning physically and emotionally.
Untreated depression may be associated with reduced adherence to ART, immunosuppression, and more rapid HIV illness progression. In South Africa, HIV/AIDS patients may be at greater risk for psychiatric disorder given the potentially stressful living conditions including high rates of unemployment and poverty, poor and unstable housing, inadequate social services, and high rates of crime and domestic violence. A lack of data on depression in South Africa underscores the need for further research.
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Crossref Citations
1. A Comparison of Clinical Features of Depressed and Non-Depressed People Living with HIV/AIDS, in Nigeria, West Africa
Rasaki O. Shittu, Baba A. Issa, Ganiyu T. Olanrewaju, Abdulraheem O. Mahmoud, Sunday A. Aderibigbe, Louis O. Odeigah
Open Journal of Medical Psychology vol: 03 issue: 01 first page: 60 year: 2014
doi: 10.4236/ojmp.2014.31008