Display options
Cite
Lundberg P, Nakasujja N, Musisi S, et al. HIV prevalence in persons with severe mental illness in Uganda: a cross-sectional hospital-based study. Int J Ment Health Syst. 2013;7:20doi: 10.1186/1752-4458-7-20.
Lundberg, P., Nakasujja, N., Musisi, S., Thorson, A. E., Cantor-Graae, E., & Allebeck, P. (2013). HIV prevalence in persons with severe mental illness in Uganda: a cross-sectional hospital-based study. International journal of mental health systems, 720. https://doi.org/10.1186/1752-4458-7-20
Lundberg, Patric, et al. "HIV prevalence in persons with severe mental illness in Uganda: a cross-sectional hospital-based study." International journal of mental health systems vol. 7 (2013): 20. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/1752-4458-7-20
Lundberg P, Nakasujja N, Musisi S, Thorson AE, Cantor-Graae E, Allebeck P. HIV prevalence in persons with severe mental illness in Uganda: a cross-sectional hospital-based study. Int J Ment Health Syst. 2013 Jul 17;7:20. doi: 10.1186/1752-4458-7-20. eCollection 2013. PMID: 23866085; PMCID: PMC3724693.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Int J Ment Health Syst. 2013 Jul 17;7:20. doi: 10.1186/1752-4458-7-20. eCollection 2013.

HIV prevalence in persons with severe mental illness in Uganda: a cross-sectional hospital-based study.

International journal of mental health systems

Patric Lundberg, Noeline Nakasujja, Seggane Musisi, Anna Ekéus Thorson, Elizabeth Cantor-Graae, Peter Allebeck

Affiliations

  1. Division of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Widerströmska Huset, Tomtebodavägen 18A 8th floor, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
  2. Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
  3. Division of Global Health/IHCAR, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
  4. Division of Social Medicine and Global Health, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.

PMID: 23866085 PMCID: PMC3724693 DOI: 10.1186/1752-4458-7-20

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In Uganda, a previous study reported high HIV prevalence in persons with severe mental illness (SMI) compared to the general population, suggesting that persons with SMI might constitute a high-risk group for HIV. However, the study included first-time psychiatric admissions only, a group whose HIV prevalence may not reflect the prevalence in persons with SMI in general. We determined prevalence and correlates of HIV in both first-time and previous psychiatric admissions, in a psychiatric hospital in Uganda.

METHODS: Cross-sectional study of HIV status in persons consecutively discharged from psychiatric admission wards in Butabika hospital, Uganda.

INCLUSION CRITERIA: age 18-49 years; schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or other non-substance-use-related psychosis; Luganda or English proficiency. Exclusion criterion: Mental incapacity to give informed consent. Participants were HIV-tested, and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using logistic regression.

RESULTS: HIV prevalence was 11.3% (CI 8.8-13.8) overall, 7.3% (CI 4.1-10.5) in men and 14.3% (CI 10.6-18.0) in women. Females had higher risk of HIV infection than males (OR 2.10; CI 1.20-3.67), after adjustment for age. Older patients had higher risk of HIV infection than younger patients (40-49 vs. 18-29 years: OR 2.34; CI 1.27-4.32), after adjustment for sex. Place of residence, marital status, income, education, occupation, psychiatric diagnosis and history of previous admission were not associated with HIV infection, after adjustment for sex and age. The above associations did not significantly differ between men and women.

CONCLUSIONS: Persons admitted for SMI in Uganda have higher HIV prevalence than persons in the general population, irrespective of previous admissions. The excess HIV prevalence is mainly confined to women. The findings call for the integration of HIV prevention, testing and care with mental health services in settings with generalized HIV epidemics. Moreover, further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying the increased HIV prevalence in women with SMI in Uganda, and to identify effective community-based interventions for this vulnerable group.

Keywords: HIV; Low-income country; Mental illness; Prevalence; Psychosis; Uganda

References

  1. AIDS Behav. 2010 Aug;14(4):778-84 - PubMed
  2. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 1999 Jun;33(3):353-60 - PubMed
  3. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2009 Mar 31;9:5 - PubMed
  4. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2011 Jun 1;57(2):153-6 - PubMed
  5. J Interpers Violence. 2010 Jul;25(7):1224-41 - PubMed
  6. Afr J Psychiatry (Johannesbg). 2012 Jan;15(1):47-53 - PubMed
  7. PLoS One. 2012;7(1):e29748 - PubMed
  8. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2003 Apr 1;32(4):446-51 - PubMed
  9. Am J Psychiatry. 2006 Aug;163(8):1349-54; quiz 1480 - PubMed
  10. PLoS One. 2010 Apr 28;5(4):e10340 - PubMed
  11. AIDS Care. 2009 Jul;21(7):863-7 - PubMed
  12. Cent Afr J Med. 1996 Sep;42(9):254-7 - PubMed
  13. AIDS Care. 2011 Feb;23(2):171-8 - PubMed
  14. S Afr Med J. 2009 Jul;99(7):523-527 - PubMed
  15. PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e44415 - PubMed
  16. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2006 Jan;60(1):7-12 - PubMed
  17. BMC Public Health. 2011 Aug 17;11:651 - PubMed
  18. Trop Med Int Health. 2013 Jan;18(1):53-7 - PubMed
  19. AIDS. 2012 Dec;26 Suppl 2:S117-35 - PubMed
  20. Afr J Reprod Health. 2001 Dec;5(3):15-28 - PubMed
  21. Soc Sci Med. 2004 Feb;58(4):787-98 - PubMed
  22. Psychosomatics. 2009 Jul-Aug;50(4):325-30 - PubMed

Publication Types