Abstract

Depression is the most common mental health issue among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). This study explored how different types and sources of social support are associated with depression among HIV-infected patients in Vietnam. We carried out a cross-sectional survey on 1,503 HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy at two HIV clinics in Hanoi in 2016. Depression was prevalent in 26.2% of participants. Higher score of social support, especially emotional/informational support and positive social interaction, showed significant association with lower depression rate. Although family was primary source of all types of social support, receiving emotional/informational support not only from family but also from outside of family correlated with a lower proportion of depression. In countries with constrained social resources and/or with family-oriented social structures, as in Vietnam, expanding social networks between HIV populations and society is a potentially important option for reducing depression.

Details

Title
Social Support as a Key Protective Factor against Depression in HIV-Infected Patients: Report from large HIV clinics in Hanoi, Vietnam
Author
Matsumoto, Shoko 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Yamaoka, Kazue 2 ; Takahashi, Kenzo 2 ; Tanuma, Junko 3 ; Mizushima, Daisuke 3 ; Cuong Duy Do 4 ; Dung Thi Nguyen 5 ; Hoai Dung Thi Nguyen 5 ; Kinh Van Nguyen 5 ; Oka, Shinichi 3 

1  AIDS Clinical Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Public Health, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan 
2  Graduate School of Public Health, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan 
3  AIDS Clinical Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan 
4  Department of Infectious Diseases, Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam 
5  National Hospital of Tropical Diseases, Hanoi, Vietnam 
Pages
1-12
Publication year
2017
Publication date
Nov 2017
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-15768-w
ProQuest document ID
1964078247
Copyright
© 2017. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.