Assessing depressive symptoms among people living with HIV in Yangon city, Myanmar: Does being a member of self-help group matter?

Abstract

Background While self-help groups have been formed among people living with HIV, few studies have been conducted to assess the role of self-help groups in mitigating depressive symptoms. This study investigated the association between self-help group membership and depressive symptoms among people living with HIV in Yangon, Myanmar. Methods In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from people living with HIV at three antiretroviral therapy clinics in 2017. Multiple logistic regression analyses were carried out to examine the associations between having self-help group membership and depressive symptoms. Three ART clinics were purposively selected based on the recommendation from the National AIDS Program in Myanmar. At these clinics, people living with HIV were recruited by a convenience sampling method. Results Among people living with HIV recruited in this study (n = 464), 201 (43.3%) were members of a self-help group. The membership was not associated with having depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98–2.59). Factors associated with having depressive symptoms were female (AOR 3.70, 95% CI 1.54–8.88) and lack of social support (AOR 0.97, 95% CI 0.96–0.98) among self-help group members, and female (AOR 3.47, 95% CI 1.70–7.09), lack of social support (AOR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97–0.99), and internalized stigma (AOR 1.28, 95% 1.08–1.53) among non-members. Conclusions This study did not find evidence on the association between membership in self-help groups and depressive symptoms among people living with HIV. Social support was a protective factor against depressive symptoms both self-help group members and non-members, although the level of social support was lower among members than non-members. The activities of self-help groups and care provided by the ART clinics should be strengthened to address mental health problems among people living with HIV in the study site.

Hubungan Perceived Stigma dengan Tingkat Depresi pada Orang dengan HIV/AIDS di Kelompok Dukungan Sebaya Solo Plus Kota Surakarta

“…Penelitian lain terkait perceived stigma pada 464 ODHA juga telah dilakukan di Kota Yangon, Myanmar. Hasil penelitian tersebut menyatakan bahwa terdapat hubungan perceived stigma dengan timbulnya simtom depresi terutama pada ODHA yang tidak bergabung dengan self help group atau kelompok dukungan sosial (Than et al, 2021). Penelitian yang dilakukan oleh Beyamo et al (2020) pada 417 pasien HIV juga menunjukkan bahwa tingginya perceived stigma terkait HIV memiliki korelasi yang signifikan dengan timbulnya depresi pada pasien HIV.…”

Adaptation and validation of a culturally adapted HIV stigma scale in Myanmar

“…Most of the stigma scales used in recent studies in Myanmar were widely used in Western countries [ 17 , 18 ], and only one scale, which we developed, was adapted from an Indian HIV stigma scale [ 19 ]. However, efforts to reduce HIV-related stigma have not yet matched the magnitude of the problem [ 20 ].…”

The Mediating Effects of Mindfulness on Perceived Stress From HIV Stigma in People Living With HIV in Myanmar: A Cross-sectional Study

“…Myanmar, also called Burma, is located in the western portion of mainland Southeast Asia. In Myanmar, 60% of PWH feel ashamed of having HIV, and 18% are denied access to health services (Than et al, 2021). Also, higher levels of stigma experienced by PWH have been associated with lower antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence (Sweeney & Vanable, 2016), faster disease progression, and poorer mental health, including depression and a lower satisfaction with life (Aung et al, 2017).…”