In Cameroon, despite extensive control efforts against HIV/AIDS, the number of new HIV infections is still on the rise. The factors contributing to this are not clearly understood. We hypothesized that it may lie on p...In Cameroon, despite extensive control efforts against HIV/AIDS, the number of new HIV infections is still on the rise. The factors contributing to this are not clearly understood. We hypothesized that it may lie on people living with HIV (PLHIV). In a case-control descriptive study, we studied the characteristics and sexual risky behaviour of PLHIV in the North West Region of Cameroon which has the highest HIV prevalence. Participants were screened for HIV and a structured questionnaire was used in data collection. An equivalent number (350) of PLHIV and controls who did not differ with respect to age and sex participated. Relative to the control, PLHIV were generally less educated (P < 0.001), poorer and less privileged (P < 0.001) with no stable source of income. Among participants that were once married, a greater proportion of PLHIV were divorced (OR = 5.23, P = 0.007), and widows (OR = 2.73, P = 0.001). Among participants that were single, a relatively greater proportion of PLHIV practiced multi-partner sex (OR = 4.55, P< 0.001). History of STDs was higher in PLHIV than the control (OR = 1.88, P = 0.001). Out of 350 PLHIV, 280 (80%) admitted to having had sexual intercourse after being diagnosed of which only 127 (41.78%) admitted to using condoms and 132 (47.14%) admitted to concealing their HIV status from their sexual partner(s). These findings have implications in HIV control programs which should target the poor and the less educated, as well as the sexual behaviour of PLHIV, so as to reverse the current rising trend of new infections in the country.展开更多
Objective: Transient suicide thoughts are common to some people throughout the course of HIV disease and often do not indicate significant risk of suicide. However, persistent suicidal thoughts with associated feeling...Objective: Transient suicide thoughts are common to some people throughout the course of HIV disease and often do not indicate significant risk of suicide. However, persistent suicidal thoughts with associated feelings of hopelessness and intent to die are very serious and must be assessed promptly and carefully. The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine the relationship between depression, hopelessness, psychosocial stressors and suicidal ideation in PLWHAs. Methods: This was a hospital based, cross sectional, descriptive study, of one hundred and seventy depressed adult HIV/AIDS patients of Kwara State Specialist Hospital, Ilorin. Depression and suicidal assessment were evaluated using the PHQ-9 scale. A score of >9 or any affirmative response to question 9 of the PHQ-9 scale necessitated suicidal risk assessment. The social determinant questionnaire was used to evaluate social cohesion and negative life events. Results: The prevalence of depression among the HIV/AID patient was 56.7%. Twenty nine (17.1%) were hopeless, twenty eight (16.5%) had at one time or the other thought of taking their lives, six (3.5%) had plan to take their lives. There was strong statistical association between depression, hopelessness (p-value = 0.000) thought of taking life (p-value = 0.000) and plan to take their lives (p-value = 0.030). Conclusion: The significant correlations between hopelessness, depression and suicidal ideation are important markers that should alert clinicians to underlying suicide risk in HIV-positive patients. In addition, low social cohesion and stressful life events were found to be risk factors for depression and suicide. Clinicians should routinely enquire about suicidality in PLWHAs to assist early diagnosis and intervention.展开更多
文摘In Cameroon, despite extensive control efforts against HIV/AIDS, the number of new HIV infections is still on the rise. The factors contributing to this are not clearly understood. We hypothesized that it may lie on people living with HIV (PLHIV). In a case-control descriptive study, we studied the characteristics and sexual risky behaviour of PLHIV in the North West Region of Cameroon which has the highest HIV prevalence. Participants were screened for HIV and a structured questionnaire was used in data collection. An equivalent number (350) of PLHIV and controls who did not differ with respect to age and sex participated. Relative to the control, PLHIV were generally less educated (P < 0.001), poorer and less privileged (P < 0.001) with no stable source of income. Among participants that were once married, a greater proportion of PLHIV were divorced (OR = 5.23, P = 0.007), and widows (OR = 2.73, P = 0.001). Among participants that were single, a relatively greater proportion of PLHIV practiced multi-partner sex (OR = 4.55, P< 0.001). History of STDs was higher in PLHIV than the control (OR = 1.88, P = 0.001). Out of 350 PLHIV, 280 (80%) admitted to having had sexual intercourse after being diagnosed of which only 127 (41.78%) admitted to using condoms and 132 (47.14%) admitted to concealing their HIV status from their sexual partner(s). These findings have implications in HIV control programs which should target the poor and the less educated, as well as the sexual behaviour of PLHIV, so as to reverse the current rising trend of new infections in the country.
文摘Objective: Transient suicide thoughts are common to some people throughout the course of HIV disease and often do not indicate significant risk of suicide. However, persistent suicidal thoughts with associated feelings of hopelessness and intent to die are very serious and must be assessed promptly and carefully. The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine the relationship between depression, hopelessness, psychosocial stressors and suicidal ideation in PLWHAs. Methods: This was a hospital based, cross sectional, descriptive study, of one hundred and seventy depressed adult HIV/AIDS patients of Kwara State Specialist Hospital, Ilorin. Depression and suicidal assessment were evaluated using the PHQ-9 scale. A score of >9 or any affirmative response to question 9 of the PHQ-9 scale necessitated suicidal risk assessment. The social determinant questionnaire was used to evaluate social cohesion and negative life events. Results: The prevalence of depression among the HIV/AID patient was 56.7%. Twenty nine (17.1%) were hopeless, twenty eight (16.5%) had at one time or the other thought of taking their lives, six (3.5%) had plan to take their lives. There was strong statistical association between depression, hopelessness (p-value = 0.000) thought of taking life (p-value = 0.000) and plan to take their lives (p-value = 0.030). Conclusion: The significant correlations between hopelessness, depression and suicidal ideation are important markers that should alert clinicians to underlying suicide risk in HIV-positive patients. In addition, low social cohesion and stressful life events were found to be risk factors for depression and suicide. Clinicians should routinely enquire about suicidality in PLWHAs to assist early diagnosis and intervention.
