Prevalence of Anxiety, Depression and Social Support Networks in HIV/AIDS Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: to determine the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and identify social support networks in patients with hiv/aids during the covid-19 pandemic, in a second-level Hospital of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (imss). Methods: cross-sectional analytical study, 420 hiv-positive patients who attended the hiv Clinic of the grh No.1 Vicente Guerrero, in Acapulco, Mexico, from October 2021 to February 2022. A sociodemographic questionnaire was applied to obtain general information, the Gráffar-Méndez Castellanos scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (hads), and the Duke-unc-11 functional social support questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and logistic regression by the Mantel-Haenszel process were performed with the data obtained. Results: the prevalence of anxiety was 7.1%, and depression 5.2%. 89% of the patients perceived to have sufficient total social support. An association between depression, and cd4 lymphocyte count <500 cells/mm3 (ora 2.54, 95% ci 1.06-6.12) was found, as well as, insufficient perceived total social support (ora 15.98, 95% ci 7.68-33.22). Conclusion: Nine out of ten patients perceived to have sufficient total social support, which may be related to the low prevalence of anxiety and depression. cd4 T lymphocyte counts below 500 cells/mm3 were associated with depression. Social support strategies and adherence to antiretroviral treatment are key to the well-being of the population living with hiv/aids during, and in the new normality of the covid-19 pandemic.