SynthesisBMC psychiatry2018
A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiology of depression in people living with HIV in east Africa.
Synthesis in BMC psychiatry, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 61 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
61 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 89 citations in OpenAlex.
- Depressive symptoms and its determinants among people living with HIV in Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Perceived stigma and depression among the HIV-positive adult people in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2024Pooled it
- The Global Landscape of the Burden of Depressive Symptoms/Major Depression in Individuals Living With HIV/AIDs and Its Effect on Antiretroviral Medication Adherence: An Umbrella Review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Psychometrics of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) in Uganda: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022Pooled it
- The prevalence of depression among adolescent with HIV/AIDS: a systematic review and meta-analysis.AIDS research and therapy · 2021Pooled it
- A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Telephone-Based Therapy Targeting Depressive Symptoms Among Low-Income People Living with HIV.AIDS and behavior · 2021Pooled it
- The Prevalence of Suicidal Ideation and Attempt Among Young People with HIV/AIDS: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.The Psychiatric quarterly · 2020Pooled it
- Food insecurity and the risk of depression in people living with HIV/AIDS: a systematic review and meta-analysis.AIDS research and therapy · 2020Pooled it
- Prevalence of depressive symptoms among nurses in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2020Pooled it
- A randomised equivalence study of the EQ-5D-5L Shona versions: evaluation of measurement equivalence between digital and paper formats.Health and quality of life outcomes · 2026Trial
- Increased prevalence of depression and anxiety among adults initiating antiretroviral therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shinyanga region, Tanzania.AIDS research and therapy · 2023Trial
- The Mediating Effect of Changes in Depression Symptoms on the Relationship between Health-Related Quality of Life and Alcohol Consumption: Findings from a Longitudinal Study among Men Living with HIV in India.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Trial
- Adjunctive sertraline for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis: a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase 3 trial.The Lancet. Infectious diseases · 2019Trial
- Relationship between mental health and unmet need for contraception and method type among women living with HIV in Kenya.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2026Article
- Perspectives of Traditional Healers, Religious Leaders, and Biomedical Providers on Depression and HIV Care in Rural Uganda.AIDS and behavior · 2026Article
- The Mental Health of Adults Living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa: Interventions along the HIV Care Continuum - A Systematic Review.AIDS and behavior · 2026Review
- Effectiveness of Friendship Bench in Alleviating Anxiety and Depression Symptoms Among People Living with HIV and High-Risk Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.AIDS and behavior · 2026Review
- Article
- Generalized and COVID-19 related anxiety among Tanzanian adolescents with HIV and association with HIV outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.BMC public health · 2025Article
1 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDepression is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder among people living with HIV (PLWHIV) and is associated with poor quality of life, additional comorbidities, disability, unemployment, poorer therapeutic outcomes and risky behaviors. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aims to systematically summarize empirical evidence and to formulate recommendations for future research.
methodsWe searched PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and relevant literature for possible studies to include. A qualitative and quantitative analysis was undertaken for this systematic review. Subgroup and sensitivity analysis were performed. Cochran's Q- and the I
resultsOf 283 titles initially identified, 81 abstracts were eligible for review. Of these, 46 articles qualified for full text review and 19 were retained. In our meta-analysis the pooled prevalence of depression in PLWHIV was 38% (95% CI 29.30-47.54). The pooled prevalence estimates of depression was 49.79% in Ethiopia and 30.88% in Uganda. In addition, the prevalence of depression was 12.40% and 46% as measured by diagnostic and screening instrument respectively. Our qualitative synthesis showed that factors such as having opportunistic infection, perceived stigma, negative life event, WHO clinical staging of disease, hospitalization in the past one month, stressful life events, food insecurity, self-efficacy, missed frequency of clinic visit, frequency of follow-up, older age, low income, urban residence and being government employee were strongly and significantly associated with depression in PLWHIV in east Africa.
conclusionThe pooled prevalence estimates of prevalence of depression in PLWHIV was 38%. The prevalence estimates of depression in PLWHIV in Ethiopia was significantly higher than Uganda. In addition the prevalence of depression was significantly higher in studies conducted by screening than diagnostic instrument. Routine screening and integrated management of depression into the existing HIV care services is warranted. Validation and use of standard instrument to assess depression in PLWHIV is needed. Moreover, longitudinal and community based studies focusing on incidence and determinates of depression in PLWHIV are recommended.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.