Mental Health Perspectives of Hiv Infection and Aids

Abstract

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic continues to be a major public health problem after more than 30 years of the initial discovery of the infection and the delineation of the routes by which it is spread. Psychiatric disorders play a role in the epidemic by increasing risk behavior for infection and decreasing access to treatment. Many individuals are at increased risk because of addictions, personality vulnerabilities, mood disorders, impulse-control disorders, cognitive impairment, social isolation and disenfranchisement, or other barriers to behaviour change. HIV-infected patients with psychiatric illness may experience great difficulty in modifying risk behaviours. Psychiatric disorders too may adversely impact the treatment of HIV infection primarily through undermining treatment adherence. The same psychiatric disorders that prevented patients from reducing their risk prevent them from obtaining benefit from treatment. Untreated patients with high viral loads are more infectious, leading to an increased potential for spread of the HIV epidemic.