The World Health Organization's Cross-cultural Study on Neuropsychiatric Aspects of Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1) Preparation and Pilot Phase

Abstract

The WHO launched a multicentre study to explore the nature and prevalence of HIV-1-associated neurological, psychiatric, and neuropsychological abnormalities in persons living in different geographical and sociocultural contexts. The study is being conducted in Brazil, Germany, Kenya, Thailand, the United States of America, and Zaire. A comprehensive instrument for the collection of neuropsychiatric data (including a battery of neuropsychological tests suitable for cross-cultural use) has been developed, and the feasibility of the recruitment and assessment procedure designed for the main phase has now been demonstrated.

Depression and CD4 Cell Count Among Persons with HIV Infection in Uganda

“…In Africa, where the majority of people with HIV live (UNAIDS, 2004), less is known about the prevalence of depressive symptoms among persons with HIV (Bolton, Wilk, &Ndogoni, 2004;Maj et al, 1991) and the socio-demographic and HIV-related factors associated with depression. Among recently diagnosed HIV patients in South Africa, the prevalence of major depression was found to be 35% (Olley et al, 2003) and gender, negative life events and disability were associated with current major depression (Olley, Seedat, Nei, &Stein, 2004).…”

The cross-cultural utility of foreign- and locally-derived normative data for three WHO-endorsed neuropsychological tests for South African adolescents

“…In the early 1990s, the World Health Organization (WHO) compiled a battery of preexisting, adapted, or newly-commissioned brief neuropsychological tests deemed suitable for use in cross-cultural contexts (Maj et al 1991). The Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT; Matthews and Klove 1964), was included under the assumption that it was culture-fair because it did not contain stimuli, items, or tasks likely to disadvantage participants from non-Western cultures (Maj et al 1993).…”

AIDS and mental health

“…2 It has also undertaken a major international study in a variety of cultures aiming to produce instruments for the assessment of mental and neurological functioning in HIV infected individuals and to validate these instruments. 3 In both of these efforts the results have until now been most encouraging: we were able to demonstrate that it is possible to create a system of assessment and diagnosis which is internally consistent, congruent with the International Classification of Diseases (WHO, 1992) 4 acceptable to scientists in the different disciplines concerned and applicable in different cultures. The instruments will be released soon and it is to be hoped that they will be used in research and in clinical practice the world over: a common language is undoubtedly a first prerequisite for communication, sharing of data and collaboration.…”