HIV/AIDS patients' management of depression

M.A.Hubley (1990) notes that Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a relatively recently recognized disease. It is caused by infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which attacks selected cells in the immune system and produces defects in functioning. These defects may not be apparent for years. They lead, however, to a severe suppression of the immune system's ability to resist harmful organisms. This leaves the body open to an invasion by various infections, which are therefore called opportunistic diseases, and to the development of unusual cancers. The virus also tends to reach certain brain cells. This leads to so-called neuropsychiatric abnormalities or psychological disturbances caused by physical damage to nerve cells. Many of those infected with HIV may not even be aware that they carry and can spread the virus. Combating it is a major challenge to biomedical scientists and health-care providers. HIV infection and AIDS occur among the most pressing public policy and public health problems world-wide. Since the first HIV/AIDS cases have been reported in 1981, through mid-1993, more than 600 cases were reported in South Africa. This is only the tip of the iceberg of HIV/AIDS infection as it was estimated that between 2 and 2.5 million South Africans had been infected with the virus through the early 1990s but not yet developed the clinical symptoms. In terms of the historical data from previous surveys (ie. the results of the 1996 survey) in South Africa confirmed the trend of a growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. HIV infection has increased in all provinces, but Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mpumalanga had the highest HIV prevalence rates of 18,23% compared to 1994's '14,35% and 16-18%, compared to 12-16% respectively (see table 1).. Of particular concern are the pregnant women in South Africa under twenty years where a prevalence of 12,78% has been found. Thirty per cent of babies born to HIV positive women in South Africa are infected. Of the 3638 births in VVitbank — a rather small town in Mpumalanga-.Province — in 1996, 219 of the women were tested HIV positive (Masiphile Vol. 1: 1997)