Abstract:

Background: HIV continues to take a treatment toll on human health, with 37 million people infected and 1.2 million death worldwide in 2014. In Sub-Saharan Africa, Where the HIV epidemic had the most devastating, more than 25 million people are HIV infected, about 70 percent of the global total. The cause of poor outcomes in adolescents are likely multifactorial, but one major contributor is incomplete adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART mal-adherence likely plays a role in the increase of AIDS-related death among adolescents and has shown to be associated with psychological distress.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to determine the magnitude of psychological distress among adolescents living with HIV/AIDS attending CTC clinic at Sekou Toure in Mwanza, factors related, prevalence and how to manage the level of anxiety and depression.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to October 2019 at Sekou Toure regional hospital’ HIV care and treatment clinic. Simple self-administered questionnaires will be sent to HIV patients visiting the Care and treatment center.

Results: A total of 100 participants were included in the study, 16% of all clients had depression, 20% had anxiety and there was strongly association between level of anxiety with food security and depression as the P-value was 0.0023 and 0.00 respectively. The level of psychological distress was found to be 20%.

Conclusion: The study provides a picture of the current situation of the level depression and anxiety (psychological distress), and factors related to among adolescents receiving care and treatment clinic at Sekou Toure regional referral hospital; Most of the factors associated with psychological distress in the survey data related to the nature and quality of care. Majority of the participants had no symptoms for depression and anxiety and had food security. This can be achieved through disclosure and increase awareness among individuals.