The Prevalence of Depression Among Men Living With HIV Infection in Vietnam

Background: A high prevalence of symptoms of mental disorders (SOMD) has been found among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). Additionally, SOMD may impact on the prevalence of high-risk health behaviours (HRB). This study investigates the relationship between SOMD and HRB in a large sample of Vietnamese HIV positive outpatients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 400 outpatients at two HIV/AIDS clinics in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, selected using a systematic sampling technique. Validated scales were used to measure SOMD, specifically symptoms of depression, anxiety, alcohol use disorder (AUD), substance use disorder (SUD) and HIV associated dementia (HAD). Participants completed a self-report questionnaire assessing HRB during the preceding 12 months including unsafe sexual practices and illicit drug use. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between SOMD and HRB. Results: The majority of participants (63.5%) were male and the median age was 34.0 years. Unsafe sexual practices and illicit drug use were reported by 13.8 and 5.5% of participants. The prevalences of HAD, depression, AUD, anxiety and SUD symptoms were 39.8, 36.5, 13.3 10.5, 3.3% respectively. There was no association between SOMD and HRB either with or without adjusting for correlates of HRB, except between symptoms of SUD and illicit drug use. PLHIV who had symptoms of SUD were more likely to use illicit drugs (adjusted Odds Ratio 81.14, 95% CI 12.55-524.47). Conclusions: While the prevalence of SOMD among HIV positive outpatients was high, most SOMD were not associated with increased HRB. Only illicit drug use was predicted by symptoms of SUD. Screening PLHIV for symptoms of SUD may be useful for detecting people likely to be engaging in illicit drug use to reduce the risk of secondary disease transmission.

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“…The questions about stressful life experiences were adapted from previous measures of HIV-related stress [33–35]. …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The association between symptoms of mental disorders and health risk behaviours in Vietnamese HIV positive outpatients: a cross-sectional study

et al. 2017

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“…Two of these scales were originally developed for Vietnamese refugees, the Vietnamese Depression Scale (VDS) for refugees in the United States (Kinzie et al, 1982) and the Phan Vietnamese Psychiatric Scale (PVPS) for refugees in Australia (Phan, Steel, & Silove, 2004) but their psychometric properties for Vietnamese people living in Viet Nam have not been evaluated. Each scale was used in one applied study, the VDS in studying primary care patients (N.-L. D. Nguyen, Hunt, & Scott, 2005) and the PVPS in studying men living with HIV (Esposito, Steel, Gioi, Huyen, & Tarantola, 2009). In reviewing these scales, our team found that the Vietnamese expressions used in many of the scale items were either outdated or unclear.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A tool for sexual minority mental health research: The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) as a depressive symptom severity measure for sexual minority women in Viet Nam

Nguyen

Bandeen‐Roche

Bass

et al. 2016

Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health

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In a context with limited attention to mental health and prevalent sexual prejudice, valid measurements are a key first step to understanding the psychological suffering of sexual minority populations. We adapted the Patient Health Questionnaire as a depressive symptom severity measure for Vietnamese sexual minority women, ensuring its cultural relevance and suitability for internet-based research. Psychometric evaluation found that the scale is mostly unidimensional and has good convergent validity, good external construct validity, and excellent reliability. The sample’s high endorsement of scale items emphasizes the need to study minority stress and mental health in this population.

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“…Similar findings have been seen in developing countries. In Vietnam, relatively high rates of clinical depression have been found among HIV+ men (Esposito, et al, 2009) while high rates of depression have also been seen in MSM in Chennai, India, where a history of sex work was associated with depressive symptoms (Safren et al, 2009). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and Behavioral Correlates of Depression and Anxiety Among Male Sex Workers in Vietnam

Goldsamt

Clatts

Giang

et al. 2014

International Journal of Sexual Health

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Objectives This study assessed depression and anxiety symptoms, and their association with high-risk sexual and drug behaviors, among male sex workers in three Vietnamese cities. Methods Male sex workers ages 16 to 35 completed an interview that included the CES-D to assess depressive symptoms and the BAI to assess anxiety symptoms, as well as questions assessing drug and sexual risk practices. Results A majority of participants reported depressive symptomatology although fewer report symptoms of anxiety. Risky sexual and drug use practices predicted both types of symptoms. Conclusions Mental distress is associated with drug and sexual risk among male sex workers.

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The Prevalence of Depression Among Men Living With HIV Infection in Vietnam

Abstract: Our results provide the first empirical evidence of depression among men living with HIV in Vietnam and underscore the need to include mental health services in the response to HIV.

Cited by 23 publications

References 29 publications

The association between symptoms of mental disorders and health risk behaviours in Vietnamese HIV positive outpatients: a cross-sectional study

The association between symptoms of mental disorders and health risk behaviours in Vietnamese HIV positive outpatients: a cross-sectional study

A tool for sexual minority mental health research: The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) as a depressive symptom severity measure for sexual minority women in Viet Nam

Prevalence and Behavioral Correlates of Depression and Anxiety Among Male Sex Workers in Vietnam

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