Introduction: Adolescents living with HIV are more likely to experience mental health challenges compared to their peers who do not have HIV. However, there is a lack of data regarding the mental health of adolescents living with HIV in Cameroon. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and the factors associated with depression in adolescents infected with HIV in a Cameroonian referral hospital.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study which enrolled adolescents perinatally infected with HIV, aged 10−19 years, on antiretroviral treatment and cared for at “Centre Mere et Enfant de la Fondation Chantal Biya”, Yaounde, Cameroon. Structured questionnaires, including validated French versions of the Coopersmith Child Depression Inventory (CDI), the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) and the Coopersmith Self Esteem Inventory (SEI), were administered to the study participants by the healthcare providers.
Results: All in all, 302 adolescents were recruited in the study at a median age of 15.2 years (interquartile range : 12.0 − 17.5), including 159 (52.7 %) girls. Both parents had died for 57 (18.9 %) adolescents ; only the father was alive for 64 (21.2 %) ; only the mother was alive for 48 (15.9 %), both parents were alive for 133 (44.0 %). This study found prevalence of 26.5 % for severe depression, 36.4 % for suicidal ideation, 29.1 % for high/very high anxiety, and 20.5 % for low self-esteem. No factor was found significantly associated with severe depression but there was a trend towards decreased risk of severe depression among adolescents whose mother was alive [OR= 0.4 (0.1−1.0), p = 0.084].
Conclusion: This study found that mental health troubles were elevated among Cameroonian adolescents perinatally infected with HIV. Services and systems should go beyond clinical management of HIV and address the psychosocial and mental health of adolescents.