Self-inflicted violence and suicide in people living with HIV/AIDS: a systematic review

Abstract

Objectives: to analyze intellectual productions on self-inflicted violence and suicide in people living with HIV/AIDS. Methods: a systematic review, carried out between March and April 2021, in the PubMed®/MEDLINE®, Web of Science and LILACS databases, subsidized in the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology. The period outlined was from 2011 to 2020. Results: a total of 199 studies were identified, and 16 composed the final sample, grouped into the categories: Sociodemographic characteristics of victims of self-inflicted violence/suicide and their intervening factors (pointing to young adults, especially homosexuals, with low social support and a history of mental illness or substance abuse as usual victims); Successful measures for suicide prevention/control in people living with HIV/AIDS (suggesting more frequent psychosocial and clinical follow-up of those starting antiretroviral and immunocompromised treatment). Conclusions: biopsychosocial follow-up, analysis of sociodemographic profile and intervening factors should be frequent in this population for disease prevention/control.