Psychiatric Co-Morbidity in People with HIV/AIDS: A Cross Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and its end stage, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the major public health challenge of our times, the majority of whom, without access to therapy. Psychiatric co morbidity in HIV/AIDS is an important factor in determining the course and outcome of HIV/AIDS and is associated with treatment follow-up factors like defaulting and poor compliance. Proper identification and treatment of psychiatric co morbidity will help improve patient adherence and quality of life and illness outcome in HIV/AIDS. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To assess the prevalence of psychiatric illnesses in people undergoing treatment for HIV/AIDS. 2. To assess the association between psychiatric co morbidity and different sociodemographic factors (age, gender, education) and disease related factors (duration of illness, stages of HIV/AIDS, CD4 count, HIV-TB and other co infections and other opportunistic infections). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a cross sectional study, Patients attending ART center, at Govt. Kilpauk Medical College Hospital and diagnosed as having HIV/AIDS and receiving treatment and who are willing to participate are included. A semistructured sociodemographic proforma administered to all the participants. And psychiatric comorbidity were diagnosed by using ICD-10 and various scales were administered according to psychiatric diagnosis. RESULTS: Prevalence of psychiatric illnesses in our study population was 45%. Depressive disorder was the commonest morbidity (21.1%), followed by alcohol dependence syndrome (9.2%), Adjustment disorder (8.3), Psychosis (2.8%), and nicotine dependence syndrome (1.8%), and anxiety disorders (1.8%)