TY  - BOOK
AU  -  Matiko, Mwita
AU  - Muthoni Mathai
AU  - Mary Jande (RIP)
AU  - Pauline Ng'ang'a
TI  - Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety Disorders and Substance use Disorders Among Patients on Treatment for HIV / AIDS in Tanzania
PY  - 2017///
CY  - Nairobi, Kenya
PB  - University of Nairobi
KW  - Psychiatry
N2  - Abstract:

Background: Depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders are the most frequently observed psychiatry disorders among HIV/AIDS patients, and are associated with key health behaviors including drug complications ( as positive behaviors), drinking and smoking (as negative/risk behaviors). They are also associated with disease outcomes and increased burdens on health care systems.

Aim: This study aims at determining the prevalence of depression, anxiety and substance use disorders among people living with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania.

Methods: This was a cross sectional study, aimed at determining the prevalence of depression, anxiety and substance use disorders and their association to illness factors among people living with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania. A total of 275 patients aged 18 years and above attending Care and Treatment Centre at Bugando Medical Centre were recruited and interviewed by using Becks Depression Inventory (BDI), Becks Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSSIT) tools. Data collected were analyzed using STATA version 13 software for windows and results presented in form of frequency tables.

Results: 275 participants were recruited in this study. Most participants were female (74.18%), middle aged with mean age of 42 ± 9.9 years. Majority of the participants were married (42.6%), only attained primary level education (67.6%) reported to be Christians regardless of their dominions (79.3%) and found to be in the lowest income category with monthly income below 50 USD (71.6%). The overall prevalence of depression measured by Becks’ Depression Inventory was 24% with mild, moderate and severe depression found to be 10.6%, 12% and 1.4% respectively. The prevalence of anxiety was higher to that of depression, by using the Beck’s anxiety Inventory the overall prevalence was found to be 45.1% with mild, moderate and severe anxiety found to be 26.9%, 13.1% and 5.1% respectively. Alcohol and tobacco were the most commonly drug of use reported by the participants. 86.2% of the participants reported history of using alcohol in their life time, 15.3% reported history of tobacco use. 19.6% reported active use of alcohol in the past two months with 4.4% using tobacco. 66.7% of those with high risk hazardous alcohol use were males. The factors that showed a statistically significant association with depression were patient’s gender (p=0.023) and income (p = 0.035). Anxiety was significantly associated with gender (p = 0.002), age (p=0.003) and income (p=0.036).

Conclusion: This study provided the insight regarding the commorbity of depression, anxiety and substance use disorders among people living with HIV/AIDS. It emphasizes the importance of policy makers to in cooperate mental health services on the treatment guidelines of HIV/AIDS patients.

ER  -