Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42681936›Full record

ArticleJournal of the International AIDS Society2026

Cost-Effectiveness and Impact of Depression Treatment Implementation on HIV Outcomes in Western Kenya: A Mathematical Modelling Study.

Daniel T Citron, Hae-Young Kim, Roscoe Kasujja, Khamisi Musanje, Samuel M Mwalili, Duncan Kioi Gathungu, Peris Wambui, Chikumbi Chambwe, Ingrida Platais, Frey B Assefa and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of the International AIDS Society, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Daniel T CitronDepartment of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
Hae-Young KimDepartment of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
Roscoe KasujjaSchool of Psychology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Khamisi MusanjeSchool of Psychology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Samuel M MwaliliDepartment of Statistics & Actuarial Science, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Nairobi, Kenya.
Duncan Kioi GathunguCenter for Health Analysis and Modeling, Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4447-2734
Peris WambuiDivision of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya.
Chikumbi ChambweCentre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.
Ingrida PlataisDepartment of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
Frey B AssefaDepartment of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
Mellesia JeetooDepartment of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
R Scott BraithwaiteDepartment of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
Anna BershteynDepartment of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.

Funding

Can mental health services break the cycle perpetuating HIV hotspots in sub-Saharan Africa?R01MH124478 · NIMH · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI BERSHTEYN, ANNA · 2021 to 2025
$3.2M
When are in-person HIV services worth the risk of COVID-19 and other communicable illnesses? Optimizing choices when virtual services are less effectiveRF1MH130238 · NIMH · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI BERSHTEYN, ANNA · 2025 to 2025
$1.4M
Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health R01MH124478Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health RF1MH130238NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH124478NIMH NIH HHS RF1 MH130238
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIn eastern, central and southern Africa, HIV is a leading cause of mortality, and both HIV and depression contribute substantially to morbidity. Depression can impede effective HIV treatment and prevention, yet access to depression treatment remains limited. We estimated the impact and cost-effectiveness of scaling up depression screening and treatment to different population segments in western Kenya .

methodsWe adapted a previously validated HIV transmission model for western Kenya (EMOD-HIV) to include age- and sex-specific depression incidence, remission and recurrence. The model incorporated depression's effects on HIV risk; HIV testing and linkage to care; antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence; and ART retention. We evaluated four depression screening and treatment scale-up strategies for adults aged 15+ years: (1) universal screening/treatment for all adults; (2) co-administering depression and HIV screening; (3) screening ART recipients; and (4) screening ART recipients with unsuppressed viral load. We assumed 62% depression treatment efficacy and calculated costs from the provider perspective, including US$3.35 for depression screening and US$20.32 per person for psychotherapy; future costs were discounted at 3%, and costs were varied in sensitivity analyses. We calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios as the cost (2024 USD) of depression screening and treatment per overall and HIV-related disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) averted.

resultsWithout depression treatment, we projected 129,000 new HIV infections, 95,900 HIV-related deaths and 1.83 M depression episodes between 2025 and 2035. Universal screening had the highest impact, averting 29.3% (95% CI 29.2%-29.3%) of person-years lived with depression, 2.8% (95% CI 2.6%-3.1%) of HIV acquisitions and 1.4% (95% CI 1.3%-1.6%) of HIV deaths. The cost-effectiveness of universal screening and treatment was US$1291 per DALY averted (95% CI: $1288-1296). Screening ART clients was most cost-effective at $744 per DALY averted (95% CI: $730-760), followed by screening ART clients with unsuppressed viral load at $752 per DALY averted (95% CI: $710-799). Co-administering HIV and depression was dominated by other strategies.

conclusionsIntegrating depression interventions into HIV care could substantially reduce both depression and HIV burden. Cost-effective scale-up could initially focus on individuals with unsuppressed viral load, then to all ART recipients, and finally expand to communities.

Indexed as

DepressionHIV InfectionsAdolescentAdultCost-Benefit AnalysisCost-Effectiveness AnalysisFemaleHumansKenyaMaleMass ScreeningMiddle AgedModels, TheoreticalTreatment OutcomeYoung Adultcost‐effectivenessdepressionHIVinterpersonal psychotherapymathematical modellingmental health

Identifiers

PMID42681936
PMCPMC13535130

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.