Frequency of and risk factors for depression among participants in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS). PLoS ONE
Anagnostopoulos et al. aimed to assess the incidence and prevalence of, and co-factors for depression in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study and to determine the influence of depression on suicide rates and mortality. The incidence rate of new-onset depression was 3.85 per 100 patient-years. The incidence and cumulative prevalence were higher in injection drug users and women. One third of patients (28.7%) experienced a depressive disorder during follow-up. Prevalent depression was more likely among participants not on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and among participants with detectable viral load while on ART. Compared to participants free of depression, mortality was slightly elevated among participants with a history of depression (1.17 vs. 0.86).
The study-results show that the burden of depressive disorders among HIV-positive individuals in an economically wealthy environment is still substantial and underscore the need for interdisciplinary collaboration between HIV care providers, psychiatrists and other mental-health providers.