HIV-infection and psychiatric illnesses – A double edged sword that threatens the vision of a contained epidemic: The Greater Stockholm HIV Cohort Study. (January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jallow, Amadou; Ljunggren, Gunnar; Wändell, Per; Wahlström, Lars; Carlsson, Axel C.
• Is Part Of: Journal of infection. Volume 74(2017)Supplement 1
• Page Start: 22
• Page End: 28
• Publication Date: 2017-01
• Subjects: Administrative databases -- General population -- Psychotic disorders -- Bipolar disorders -- Depression -- Anxiety disorders -- Trauma-related disorders -- Drug dependence disorders -- Gender -- Epidemiology; Infection -- Periodicals; Bacterial Infections -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2016.09.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0163-4453

Abstract

Summary: Context: The Greater Stockholm HIV Cohort Study is an initiative to provide longitudinal information regarding the health of people living with HIV. Objective: Our aim was to explore the prevalence of HIV and its association with psychiatric co-morbidities. Design, setting and participants: All patients with a recorded diagnosis of HIV (any position of the ICD–10 codes B20–B24) were identified during the period 2007–2014 and related to the total population in Stockholm by January 1, 2015, N = 2.21 million. The age at diagnosis, gender, and first occurrence of an HIV diagnosis was recorded. Analyses were done by age and gender. Prevalence of psychiatric co-morbidities amongst HIV patients were recorded. Main outcome measures: Age-adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated with logistic regression for prevalent psychiatric co-morbidities in HIV infected individuals compared to the prevalence in the general population. Results: The total prevalence of HIV was 0.16%; females 0.10% (n = 1134) and males 0.21% (n = 2448). HIV-infected people were more frequently diagnosed with psychiatric illnesses and drug abuse. In females and males with HIV-diagnosis respectively, drug dependence disorder was 7.5 (7.76% vs 1.04%) and 5.1 (10.17% vs 1.98%) times higher, psychotic disorders were 6.3 (2.65% vs 0.42%) and 2.9 (1.43% vs 0.49%) times higher, bipolar disorder was 2.5 (1.41% vs 0.57%) and 3 (1.02% vs 0.34%) times higher, depression diagnosis was 1.5 (8.47% vs 5.82%) and 3.4 (10.17% vs 2.97%) higher, trauma-related disorder was 1.5 (6.00% vs 4.10%) respectively 2.9 (4.45% vs 1.56%) times higher, anxiety disorder was 1.2 (6.88% vs 5.72%) and 2.2 (6.54% vs 2.93%) times higher than in their non-infected peers. Conclusion: Despite effective ART, many individuals with HIV have an impaired mental health and a history of drug abuse that may threaten the vision of a contained epidemic.