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. 2021 Oct;25(10):3097-3105.
doi: 10.1007/s10461-021-03187-y. Epub 2021 Feb 17.

Depression and Viral Suppression Among Adults Living with HIV in Tanzania

Mathilda Regan  1 , Alfa Muhihi  2 , Tumaini Nagu  2   3 , Said Aboud  2   4 , Nzovu Ulenga  2 , Sylvia Kaaya  5 , Mary C Smith Fawzi  6 , Aisha K Yousafzai  7 , Ferdinand Mugusi  3 , Wafaie W Fawzi  7 , Shekhar Saxena  7 , Karestan Koenen  8 , Christopher R Sudfeld  7
Affiliations

Depression and Viral Suppression Among Adults Living with HIV in Tanzania

Mathilda Regan et al. AIDS Behav. 2021 Oct.

Abstract

Limited information is available on the association between depression and viral suppression among people living with HIV (PLH) in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 3996 adults initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Log-binomial models were used to assess the association between depression and the risk of an unsuppressed viral load (> 400 copies/mL) after 6 months of ART. Women who had depression at both initiation and after 6 months of treatment had 1.94 times (95% CI 1.22, 3.09; z = 2.78, p < 0.01) the risk of an unsuppressed viral load after 6 months of treatment as compared to women who did not have depression at either time point. Men with the top tertile of depressive symptoms after 6 months of treatment had 1.58 times the risk of an unsuppressed viral load (95% CI 1.04, 2.38; z = 2.15, p = 0.03) as compared to the lowest tertile. Research should be pursued on interventions to prevent and address depression among adults initiating ART to potentially support achievement of viral suppression.

Keywords: Depression; Gender; Sub-Saharan Africa; Tanzania; Viral suppression.

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Conflict of interest statement

Compliance with Ethical Standards

Conflict of interest No conflict of interest are declared.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Depression prevalence (HSCL-adapted) at ART initiation, 6, and 12 months of ART stratified by gender
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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