Behavioural disorders in 6-11-year-old, HIV-infected Indian children

BACKGROUND: HIV-infected children are at risk of behaviour problems. The transition of HIV from an acute, lethal disease to survival with sub-acute, chronic disease has enormous implications for the psychosocial development and requirement for support of affected children and families. AIM: To study the behavioural patterns and factors responsible for psychiatric disorders among HIV-infected and uninfected children in the age group 6-11 years. METHODS: A prospective, random-sampling study was undertaken to examine the unique and combined influences of HIV and socio-demographic characteristics on the behaviour of 140 infected and 301 age- and income-matched controls. Controls were normal children recruited from government schools. The Child Behaviour Check List was used to assess behaviour patterns. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses comparing HIV-infected children with their uninfected peers from similar backgrounds showed more subjective distress in the HIV-infected group. Behaviour problems in HIV-infected children were reported by 80.7% of primary caregivers compared with 18.3% for controls. Psychiatric behaviour in HIV-infected children as a risk factor for HIV was also identified in a significant proportion (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: By analysing behaviour, a psycho-medical team can examine the extent to which psychosocial and demographic factors are involved in causing and exacerbating behaviour problems in HIV-infected children.