Factors Associated With Depression and Dependence for Activities of Daily Living in People Living With Hiv Aged 50 Years or Older

With the aging of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), driven by greater access to combined and potent antiretroviral therapy (ART), new clinical challenges have emerged, especially those related to mental health and functionality. Depression and loss of independence in performing basic activities of daily living (ADLs) are prevalent conditions among older adults and can be exacerbated by social, economic, and even HIV-related factors. Therefore, early identification of these conditions is fundamental to support comprehensive patient care strategies. This was a cross-sectional study with 43 PLHIV aged 50 years or older under follow-up at a specialized infectious disease service in Botucatu-SP. Functional capacity was assessed using the Katz Index, which identifies dependence in ADLs, and depression risk was measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Additionally, sociodemographic, economic, and clinical variables were collected through interviews, and data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests, adopting p ≤ 0.05. The mean age was 61 years, with predominance of females (56.0%) and self-declared Whites (53.5%). All patients, except one, were considered independent for ADLs according to the Katz Index. Ten (23.2%) patients screened positive for depression risk. Of these, 80.0% were women (p = 0.078), and 60.0% were aged 50–60 years (p = 0.03). A significant association was found between depression risk and schooling ≤ 8 years (100.0%, p = 0.03) and monthly income below the minimum wage (70.0%). Despite the wide functional independence observed in ADLs, the prevalence of depressive symptoms in nearly one-fourth of participants indicates the need for systematic depression screening in PLHIV aged 50 years or older. Factors such as low educational level and reduced income emerge as relevant determinants for depression risk, reinforcing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach centered on the social determinants of health to assess aging and functionality in this population.