Depression and use of mental health services among HIV-infected men

Depression is a serious, common, and treatable condition among HIV-infected persons. We examined the prevalence and predictors of depression and use of mental health services among 475 HIV-infected men without AIDS. Participants were drawn from three sites in San Francisco and Denver that did not provide ongoing medical care or mental health services. Depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiology Studies Depression scale (CES-D). Overall, 176 men (37.1%) were classified as depressed based on having a CES-D score above the standard cut-off of > or = 16. In logistic regression analysis, persons with HIV-related symptoms (OR = 3.4; 95% CI = 2.0.-5.6), low social support (OR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.6-3.9), who were unemployed (OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.1-3.3), and with CD4 count < 200 cells (OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.1-3.3), were significantly more likely to be depressed. Only 40.3% of depressed men had seen a mental health clinician in the previous year and only 6.3% were taking an antidepressant. Among depressed men, in logistic regression analysis, men who were unemployed (OR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.2-4.7) and those with health insurance (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.1-4.5) were more likely to have received these services. Increased evaluation and treatment of HIV-infected persons for depression is needed.