TY - JOUR T1 - Mental health and implications for antiretroviral adherence in a multiethnic Asian cohort JF - Sexually Transmitted Infections JO - Sex Transm Infect DO - 10.1136/sextrans-2021-055153 SP - sextrans-2021-055153 AU - Jaspal Singh Dhaliwal AU - Lai Gwen Chan AU - Justine Chay Boon Goh AU - Karis Hui En Koh AU - Chen Seong Wong Y1 - 2021/12/15 UR - http://sti.bmj.com/content/early/2021/12/14/sextrans-2021-055153.abstract N2 - Objectives Research suggests a high prevalence of depression and anxiety in people living with HIV, resulting in negative health outcomes and poorer help-seeking behaviours when undetected. Subsequent disease progression and non-adherence to treatment constitute a significant barrier to HIV treatment. This paper aims to identify the risk factors for the development of psychological distress and non-adherence to antiretroviral medication in people living with HIV.Methods An HIV outpatient clinical service screened for anxiety and depressive symptoms. As part of a retrospective analysis of the cohort, independent sample t-test and χ2 test were conducted to examine differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients in demographic variables such as mode of transmission and disclosure to family; clinical indicators such as psychiatric history and history of alcohol and substance use; and outcome variables such as current psychological distress and non-adherence. Binary logistic regression was conducted to determine predictors of psychological distress and non-adherence.Results After adjusting for age, no history of alcohol use and psychiatric history were found to be significant risk factors for psychological distress during the programme. Older patients were less likely to be symptomatic during the programme. After adjusting for age, having received intervention and psychiatric history, significant risk factors for non-adherence to antiretroviral medication were mode of transmission, history of smoking and being symptomatic during the programme.Conclusion Significant psychological distress occurring early in HIV care predicts future non-adherence to antiretroviral treatment, highlighting the importance of early detection and intervention for psychological distress in people living with HIV. Mental health interventions should be intercalated with treatment adherence interventions to improve HIV treatment outcomes.No data are available. Data are not available due to privacy and confidentiality issues. ER -