Kwesiga Jeremiah Mutinye, Namuli Justine Diana, Akimana Benedict, Serunjogi Joyce Nalugya, Kitaka Sabrina Bakeera, Seggane Musisi, Kaleebu Pontiano, Nyirenda Moffat, Nakimuli-Mpungu Etheldreda
Medical Research Council, Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (MRC/UVRI/ LSHTM) Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda.
SEEK Group Support Psychotherapy Initiative, Kampala, Uganda.
Front Public Health. 2025 Jun 20;13:1568575. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1568575. eCollection 2025.
Adolescents living with HIV (ALWH) face significant mental health challenges, such as depression and anxiety, which negatively impact their HIV treatment outcomes. This study investigated the prevalence and factors associated with mental health challenges among adolescents with unsuppressed viral loads in Northern Uganda.
In 2021, 121 dyads of caregivers and ALWH (10 to 18 years) with unsuppressed viral loads were recruited from five community-based HIV clinics in Kitgum district. They were assessed for mental health challenges using the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-25), the Patterson Suicide Risk Assessment Tool and the Clinician-administered Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Scale for Children and Adolescents (CAPS-CA). Bivariate and multivariate analysis of the data was carried out using STATA version 18.
Emotional problems were observed in 61.97% of participants. Among these, depression was present in 45.45% of individuals, and all participants diagnosed with depression also exhibited significant comorbid anxiety symptoms. Notably, 16.52% of participants experienced anxiety without comorbid depression. Having food security (OR = 0.03; = 0.003), and the absence of recurrent infections (OR = 0.47; = 0.023) were protective against mental health challenges. However, significant post-traumatic stress symptoms were independently associated with mental health challenges (OR = 1.33; p < 0.0001). No significant association was observed between emotional problems and gender (χ = 0.009; = 0.94).
These results emphasize the importance of addressing underlying socio-economic and psychological factors to improve mental health well-being. Targeted interventions focused on reducing barriers to resources and providing mental health support are essential for fostering equitable mental health outcomes.
感染艾滋病毒的青少年（ALWH）面临重大的心理健康挑战，如抑郁和焦虑，这对他们的艾滋病毒治疗结果产生负面影响。本研究调查了乌干达北部病毒载量未得到抑制的青少年心理健康挑战的患病率及相关因素。
2021年，从基特古姆区的五家社区艾滋病毒诊所招募了121对病毒载量未得到抑制的照顾者与青少年（10至18岁）。使用修订版儿童焦虑和抑郁量表（RCADS - 25）、帕特森自杀风险评估工具以及临床医生管理的儿童和青少年创伤后应激障碍量表（CAPS - CA）对他们进行心理健康挑战评估。使用STATA 18版对数据进行双变量和多变量分析。
61.97%的参与者存在情绪问题。其中，45.45%的个体患有抑郁症，所有被诊断为抑郁症的参与者也表现出明显的共病焦虑症状。值得注意的是，16.52%的参与者经历了无共病抑郁的焦虑。粮食安全（比值比=0.03；P=0.003）以及无反复感染（比值比=0.47；P=0.023）可预防心理健康挑战。然而，显著的创伤后应激症状与心理健康挑战独立相关（比值比=1.33；P<0.0001）。未观察到情绪问题与性别之间存在显著关联（χ²=0.009；P=0.94）。
这些结果强调了解决潜在社会经济和心理因素以改善心理健康状况的重要性。针对减少资源障碍并提供心理健康支持的有针对性干预措施对于促进公平的心理健康结果至关重要。
