Mental health in South African adolescents living with HIV

We examined the prevalence of mental health conditions, social support, and associated factors among adolescents living with HIV. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis with adolescents (ages 9–19) attending a primary care clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa. We analyzed the results of four self-report tools: Children’s Depression Inventory–Short, Revised Manifest Anxiety Scale, Child Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist, and a modified version of the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale. We used robust Poisson regression to quantify the association between social support and mental health. Among 278 adolescents, the majority were perinatally infected with HIV (92%), and had at least one deceased parent (59%). Depression symptom threshold scores were found among 8% of adolescents, and 7% screened positive for symptoms of anxiety. Few (1%) met the criteria for PTSD. Overall, 12% of adolescents screened positive for symptoms of depression, anxiety or PTSD. Older adolescents reported less social support than younger adolescents. Adolescents were less likely to have mental health symptoms if they had higher measures of social support (adjusted Prevalence Ratio 0.38, 95% CI 0.20–0.73). Attention should be paid to social support for adolescents living with HIV as this may play an important role in their mental health.     

HIV risk exposure among South African children in public health facilities

The study investigates the risk exposure to HIV infection among South African children aged 2-9 years served by public health services. Together with their biological mothers, 3471 children and were recruited from inpatient and outpatient children in the Free State Province. Blood samples were taken by professional nurses and a history taken of exposure factors associated with HIV transmission. DNA testing was used to confirm biological maternity where the child was HIV-positive and the mother HIV-negative. Mother-child pairs were stratified by mother's HIV status. Exposure factors related to the child's HIV status were examined in each stratum using a chi-square test. Independent factors were then included in a multiple logistic regression model. Having an HIV-positive mother was strongly related to HIV infection in children (OR: 310; 95%CI: 148-781). However, seven HIV-positive children had HIV-negative mothers. Transmission in this group was significantly associated with breastfeeding by a non-biological mother (OR: 437; 95%CI: 53-5020), being fed with expressed breast milk from a milk room (OR: 37.6; 95%CI: 6.2-259.0), dental injection history (OR: 31.5; 95%CI: 4.5-189.4) and visits to a dentist (OR: 26.9; 95%CI: 4.4-283.5). Although mother-to-child-transmission is shown to be the primary mode of HIV transmission in South African children, the few HIV-positive children infected by other modes of transmission suggest a potential risk of non-vertical HIV infections. These infections can be prevented through education and improved infection-control procedures.     

Coping styles among families of children with HIV infection

The primary aim of this study was to examine coping strategies among families of HIV-infected children and how they relate to medical, central nervous system (CNS) and family environment factors. Caregivers of HIV-positive children (N=52) completed a family coping measure (F-COPES) and provided information regarding family environment. Data regarding medical and CNS status were obtained from patient records. Results indicated that families' passive coping and spiritual support were among the coping techniques used most often, and social support was used least often. Medical variables were unrelated to any coping styles. Families of children with CNS impairment endorsed more passive coping techniques than families of children with no apparent deficits. A trend was found for non-biological caregivers to seek out more community resources and support than biological caregivers. Findings suggest the need to target families least likely to utilize resources, and to teach them to effectively seek out and benefit from social and community supports.     

Profiles of caregiving behaviors among children and adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV

Although parenting behaviors are widely considered an important factor in the adjustment of children and adolescents with chronic physical health needs, few studies have addressed this topic as it pertains to youth with perinatally-acquired human immunodeficiency virus (PHIV). We examined profiles of child-centeredness, control through guilt, consistent discipline, and detachment, and whether these profiles differed in terms of parent- and youth-reported psychiatric disorder symptoms in a cohort of HIV infected youth (N?=?314). Latent profile analyses of caregiving behaviors were conducted separately for children (6–12 years) and adolescents (13–18 years). Two profiles were identified among children: (a) moderate caregiving (87%, n?=?130) and (b) high detachment caregiving (13%, n?=?19), and three profiles were identified among adolescents: (a) moderate caregiving (55%, n?=?88), (b) high detachment caregiving (19%, n?=?30), and (c) high control through guilt caregiving (26%, n?=?42). The high detachment and high control through guilt caregiving profiles displayed higher levels of parent-and youth-reported symptoms than the moderate caregiving profile. These findings suggest that caregiver behaviors of PHIV youth vary as a function of children’s developmental period and differ in terms of youth psychological symptoms.     

Medication adherence in children and adolescents with HIV infection: associations with behavioral impairment

The impact of behavioral functioning on medication adherence in children with perinatally acquired HIV infection is not well-explored, but has important implications for intervention. This report addresses the relationship between behavioral functioning and child self-report or caregiver report of medication adherence among children and adolescents enrolled in Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group Protocol 219C (conducted 2000-2007). A total of 1134 participants, aged 3-17 years, received a behavioral evaluation and adherence assessment. Complete adherence was defined as taking 100% of prescribed antiretroviral medications during three days preceding the study visit. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between adherence and behavioral functioning, adjusting for potential confounders, including demographic, psychosocial, and health factors. Children demonstrated higher than expected rates of behavioral impairment (≈7% expected with T?>?65) in the areas of conduct problems (14%, z?=?7.0, p?相似文献   

Long term engagement in HIV care among postpartum women with perinatal HIV infection in the United States

Despite growing literature on pregnancy in women with perinatally-acquired HIV infection (PHIV), little is known regarding HIV and reproductive health outcomes postpartum. We describe pregnancy, reproductive, and HIV care outcomes for 2 years postpartum among pregnant women with PHIV who delivered in a large urban health system in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 2011–2016. We reviewed medical records of women with PHIV to estimate retention in HIV care (two HIV care visits or viral load measurements >90 days apart) and viral suppression (<200 copies/mL) at 12 and 24 months postpartum. Among 22 pregnant women with PHIV, 13 (59%) had a CD4 count of less than 300 cells/mm³ at the time of antenatal care entry; most (n = 13, 59%) women achieved viral suppression at time of delivery. Three quarters of women attended a postpartum HIV primary care visit, within an average of 193 (range 17–727) days. Only 4 (20%) women were retained and 3 (15%) virally suppressed at 12 postpartum, and 2 (12%) were retained and none virally suppressed at 24 months. Despite the unique challenges they face, multidisciplinary efforts are needed to engage women with PHIV during pregnancy and facilitate the transition to sustained HIV primary care in the postpartum period.     

HIV infection among children and adolescents in Burundi,Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Evidence demonstrates a substantial HIV epidemic among children and adolescents in countries with long-standing generalized HIV epidemics, where availability of prevention of mother-to-child transmission services has historically been limited. The objective of this research was to explore factors associated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and morbidity among HIV-infected surviving children 2–17 years of age attending HIV programs in Central Africa. Programmatic data from 404 children attending HIV programs in Burundi, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were included in our evaluation. Children were followed prospectively from 2008 to 2011 according to each clinic’s standard of care. Diagnosis at a reference hospital was significantly associated with not having initiated ART (adjusted odds ratio, AOR?=?0.40; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.24–0.67). Being seen at a clinic in Cameroon (AOR?=?0.45; 95%CI?=?0.24–0.85) and being in school were associated with decreased risk (AOR?=?0.55; 95%CI?=?0.31–0.96). Being ART-naïve (AOR?=?1.88; 95%CI?=?1.20–2.94) and being diagnosed at a reference hospital (AOR?=?2.39; 95%CI?=?1.29–4.41) or other testing facility (AOR?=?2.86; 95%CI?=?1.32–6.18) were associated with increased risk of having a morbid event at the initial visit. In longitudinal analysis of incident morbidity, we found a decreased risk associated with attending clinics in Cameroon (adjusted hazard ratio, AHR?=?0.23; 95%CI?=?0.11–0.46) and the DRC (AHR?=?0.46; 95%CI?=?0.29–0.74), and an increased risk associated with being ART-naïve (AHR?=?1.83; 95%CI?=?1.12–2.97). We found a high burden of HIV-related health problems among children receiving care in this setting. Children face significant barriers to accessing HIV services, and the HIV epidemic among surviving children in the Central African region has not been adequately evaluated nor addressed.     

Poverty indicators and mental health functioning among adults living with HIV in Delhi,India

Poor mental health functioning among persons living with HIV (PLHIV) has gained considerable attention particularly in low-income countries that disproportionately carry the global HIV/AIDS burden. Fewer studies, however, have examined the relationship between poverty indicators and mental health among PHLIV in India. Based on this cross-sectional study of 196 HIV-seropositive adults who received medical services at Shalom AIDS Project in Delhi, India, structural equation modeling and mediation analysis were employed to estimate the associations between poverty indices (household asset index, food security, unemployment, water treatment, sanitation), HIV-health factors (illness in the past 3 months, co-morbid medical conditions), and psychological distress. In the final model, ownership of fewer household assets was associated with higher levels of food insecurity, which in turn was associated with higher psychological distress. Also, the household asset index, food insecurity, and unemployment had a larger effect on psychological distress than new opportunistic infections. These findings build on increasing evidence that support concerted efforts to design, evaluate, and refine HIV mental health interventions that are mainstreamed with livelihood programming in high poverty regions in India.     

Mental health in South African adolescents living with HIV: correlates of internalising and externalising symptoms

Although declining in all other age groups, AIDS-related deaths among adolescents are increasing. In the context of HIV, mental health problems are associated with negative health outcomes, including non-adherence to life-saving ART. For effective programming it is essential to identify factors associated with psychological outcomes in this population. Adopting a socioecological perspective, we aimed to identify correlates of internalising and externalising symptoms in a large, representative sample of South African adolescents living with HIV. HIV-positive adolescents (n?=?1060), who received care in public health facilities in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, completed measures of internalising and externalising symptoms. Hypothesised correlates included HIV and health-related factors (physical health, mode of infection, medication side-effects, disclosure, stigma), health-service related factors (negative interactions with clinic staff, clinic support group), interpersonal factors (abuse, bullying victimisation, social support), parenting-related factors (orphanhood, positive parenting, parental monitoring, parent communication), as well as individual and demographic-related factors (self-efficacy, age, gender, urban/rural location, poverty). Correlates operating across a variety of contexts were identified. Bullying victimisation, self-efficacy, and positive parenting may be particularly salient intervention targets as they were associated with better outcomes on most or all mental health measures, can be addressed without directly targeting adolescents living with HIV (reducing the chances of accidental exposure and stigma), and are associated with better adolescent mental health in South Africa more generally.     

Relationship between viral load and self-report measures of medication adherence among youth with perinatal HIV infection

Poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) contributes to disease progression and emergence of drug-resistant HIV in youth with perinatally acquired HIV infection (PHIV +), necessitating reliable measures of adherence. Although electronic monitoring devices have often been considered the gold-standard assessment in HIV research, they are costly, can overestimate nonadherence and are not practical for routine care. Thus, the development of valid, easily administered self-report adherence measures is crucial for adherence monitoring. PHIV+youth aged 7–16 (n = 289) and their caregivers, enrolled in a multisite cohort study, were interviewed to assess several reported indicators of adherence. HIV-1 RNA viral load (VL) was dichotomized into >/≤400 copies/mL. Lower adherence was significantly associated with VL >400 copies/mL across most indicators, including ≥1 missed dose in past seven days [youth report: OR = 2.78 (95% CI, 1.46–5.27)]. Caregiver and combined youth/caregiver reports yielded similar results. Within-rater agreement between various adherence indicators was high for both youth and caregivers. Inter-rater agreement on adherence was moderate across most indicators. Age ≥13 years and living with biological mother or relative were associated with VL >400 copies/mL. Findings support the validity of caregiver and youth adherence reports and identify youth at risk of poor adherence.     

Utilization of Ryan White-funded mental health services and mental health functioning among people living with HIV in New York City

Few studies have examined the relationship between mental health service utilization and health/mental health outcomes among people living with HIV (PLWH). Such studies are needed to inform the delivery of mental health services for this population, particularly in identifying treatment dosages that will result in clinically significant improvements. We examined the association between mental health service utilization and mental health functioning among 429 PLWH in New York City. Of these, 40% (n?=?170) demonstrated an improvement in mental health functioning (≥3.5 point increase on the Mental Component Summary score on the SF-12) from program intake to the follow-up assessment. In a multivariable analysis, higher proportions of individuals with medium (38%) and high (37%) mental health service utilization levels experienced an improvement in mental health functioning, compared to those with low utilization levels (25%).

Future analyses should include additional follow-up periods to assess service utilization patterns over time and their association with mental health functioning.     

Incidence and determinants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection among persons with HIV: association with hospital exposure

BACKGROUND: Little information exists on risk factors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in persons with HIV. We assessed the incidence and factors associated with P aeruginosa among persons with HIV enrolled in a large observational cohort study in Los Angeles. METHODS: Data were analyzed from 4825 persons aged > or =13 years with HIV infection enrolled from 4 outpatient facilities from 1990 to 1998. The association between P aeruginosa infection and demographic, risk behavior, and clinical factors was assessed. RESULTS: P aeruginosa was diagnosed in 72 (1.5%) patients representing a crude incidence rate of 0.74 per 100 person-years. The most frequent site of infection was pulmonary (47%). In multivariate analysis, prior hospitalization (adjusted rate ratio = 7.9, 95% CI, 3.8-16.2), and both dapsone (adjusted rate ratio = 4.0, 95% CI, 2.2-7.4) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (adjusted rate ratio = 2.5, 95% CI, 1.2-5.3) use were independently associated with higher rates of infection. Increasing days of inpatient stay (P <.01) and decreasing CD4(+) counts (P <.01) were strongly associated with P aeruginosa. Azithromycin use decreased the risk of infection by nearly 70%. CONCLUSION: Although the overall observed incidence of P aeruginosa was low, hospital exposure, declining CD4(+) levels, and the use of dapsone or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole increased the risk of P aeruginosa disease, and azithromycin use was protective in this population. These findings may assist in the early recognition and diagnosis of persons likely to be at increased risk of P aeruginosa infection.     

Executive functioning in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure

BACKGROUND: Children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure have well documented deficits in overall cognitive ability. Recently, attention has turned to the executive function (EF) domain in this population. Until recently, comprehensive measures of EF have not been available within one test battery. This study used a battery of tests to assess four domains of EF in alcohol-exposed children. METHODS: The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function Scale was used to evaluate EF in 18 children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure, with and without a diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), and 10 nonexposed controls. Children ranged in age from 8 to 15 years. Measures from four domains of executive functioning were analyzed: planning ability, cognitive flexibility, selective inhibition, and concept formation and reasoning. Tasks consisted of primary EF measures as well as measures of secondary component skills. RESULTS: Alcohol-exposed children were deficient on EF measures compared with nonexposed controls. Furthermore, in most cases, children with and without the FAS diagnosis did not differ from one another. These deficits were not entirely explainable by concomitant deficits on component skills. Specific impairments were identified within the domains of planning and response inhibition, with additional deficits in abstract thinking and flexibility. CONCLUSIONS: Deficits in executive functioning were observed in alcohol-exposed children with or without the diagnosis of FAS and in the absence of mental retardation. Performance on these EF tasks provides insight into the cognitive processes driving overall performance and has implications for adaptive and daily functions. These results are consistent with anecdotal and empirical reports of deficits in behavioral control and with neuroanatomical evidence of volumetric reductions in structures within the frontal-subcortical system in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure.     

与HIV感染相关的心理问题

该文从感染艾滋病病毒（HIV）前存在的心理问题、感染HIV后带来的心理影响、儿童感染者面临的特殊问题、影响感染者和患者（PLWHA）心理问题的各种因素、艾滋病疑病症等几方面,对与HIV感染相关的心理问题进行了阐述。由于心理问题可导致高危行为,而病毒和机会性感染会损害中枢神经系统,感染、抗病毒治疗（ART）的不良反应、社会歧视和侮辱又可引起心理问题,因此,建议切实将心理干预纳入艾滋病综合防治,防止HIV进一步传播。     

遵义市艾滋病高危人群的心理健康状况及人格特征

目的了解遵义市两城区艾滋病高危人群的心理健康状况和人格特征。方法采用便利抽样方法,对遵义市两城区的63名男男性行为者（MSM）和42名静脉注射吸毒者,进行症状自评量表（SCL-90）和艾森克人格问卷成人式（EPQ）问卷调查。结果SCL-90量表中,MSM的躯体化、强迫症状、人际关系、抑郁、焦虑和恐怖等因子（P〈0．01）和精神病性因子（P〈0．05）得分均显著高于全国常模;静脉注射吸毒者的躯体化、强迫症状、抑郁和焦虑因子（P〈0．01）与人际关系、敌对、恐怖、偏执和精神病性因子（P〈0．05）得分显著高于全国常模。MSM的EPQ精神质、内外向和神经质三个分量表的得分均显著高于全国常模（P〈0．01）;男性静脉注射吸毒者的精神质、内外向（P〈0．01）和神经质（P〈0．05）量表的得分,以及女性静脉注射吸毒者的精神质量表得分均显著高于全国常模（P〈0．05）。结论遵义市的艾滋病高危人群存在严重的心理健康问题,其中男性群体具有外向且情绪不稳定的人格特征。     

Subjective HIV attribution theories,coping and psychological functioning among homosexual men with HIV

Facing a traumatic event, such as being diagnosed with HIV, the individual tries to find an explanation why the traumatic event happened. One way to answer that question is through attributions. The purpose of this study was to examine subjective attribution theories for HIV (internal/self-blame, external/blaming others, and fatalistic) and their association with coping styles and psychological functioning among 57 self-defined gay men who were HIV-positive. None of the respondents were diagnosed with AIDS. Although all men made attributions for their HIV infection, few had incorporated exclusively self-blame and external attributions, respectively. About one-third of the gay men attributed HIV to both self-blame and external factors. Self-blame attribution was associated with the avoidant coping style. Analyses yielded that both self-blame attribution and the avoidant coping style correlated with depressive mood and life dissatisfaction. External attribution theory displayed a positive relation to depressive mood. No particular HIV attribution theory was tied to good psychological functioning. The clinical implications of these results are discussed.