Perspectives towards mental illness in people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa

Katherine R. Sorsdahl; Sumaya Mall; Dan J. Stein; John A. Joska

doi:10.1080/09540121003758655

Perspectives towards mental illness in people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa

Katherine R. Sorsdahl
, Sumaya Mall
, Dan J. Stein
, John A. Joska

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Psychiatric disorders are more common in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) than in the general population and they exert a significant effect on many health-related outcomes. Low levels of mental health literacy and stigma may contribute to delayed treatment seeking and poorer outcomes. A convenience sample of 400 HIV-positive respondents were selected from three health clinics in Cape Town. Respondents' mental health literacy and attitudes towards psychiatric disorders were investigated. Psychiatric disorders were viewed as stress-related 70-91% of the time. Seeking help from a medical professional was often endorsed as an effective treatment option, while taking medication was rarely endorsed. Respondents held negative attitudes towards people with psychiatric disorders. In particular, people with substance abuse and PTSD were stigmatised more than those with depression and schizophrenia. The understanding of the psychobiological nature of psychiatric disorders and of existing effective treatments in PLWHA in South Africa is limited. Interventions designed to increase mental health literacy and reduce the stigma associated with psychiatric disorders may increase the likelihood of PLWHA seeking treatment should they suffer from these conditions.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1418-1427
Number of pages	10
Journal	AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV
Volume	22
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121003758655
State	Published - Nov 2010
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

South Africa
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
health literacy
mental health
stigma

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10.1080/09540121003758655

Cite this

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title = "Perspectives towards mental illness in people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa",

abstract = "Psychiatric disorders are more common in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) than in the general population and they exert a significant effect on many health-related outcomes. Low levels of mental health literacy and stigma may contribute to delayed treatment seeking and poorer outcomes. A convenience sample of 400 HIV-positive respondents were selected from three health clinics in Cape Town. Respondents' mental health literacy and attitudes towards psychiatric disorders were investigated. Psychiatric disorders were viewed as stress-related 70-91\% of the time. Seeking help from a medical professional was often endorsed as an effective treatment option, while taking medication was rarely endorsed. Respondents held negative attitudes towards people with psychiatric disorders. In particular, people with substance abuse and PTSD were stigmatised more than those with depression and schizophrenia. The understanding of the psychobiological nature of psychiatric disorders and of existing effective treatments in PLWHA in South Africa is limited. Interventions designed to increase mental health literacy and reduce the stigma associated with psychiatric disorders may increase the likelihood of PLWHA seeking treatment should they suffer from these conditions.",

keywords = "South Africa, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, health literacy, mental health, stigma",

author = "Sorsdahl, \{Katherine R.\} and Sumaya Mall and Stein, \{Dan J.\} and Joska, \{John A.\}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was made possible by support from USAID/ PEPFAR and the Peri-Natal Health Research Institute. The views expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of USAID/PEPFAR. John A. Joska has received support from the National Research Foundation, the Biological Psychiatry special interest group of the South Africa Society of Psychiatrists, the Medical Research Council of South Africa and the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Committee, University of Cape Town. Dan J. Stein has received research grants and/or consultancy honoraria from Astrazeneca, Eli-Lilly, Glaxosmithkline, Lundbeck, Orion, Pfizer, Pharmacia, Roche, Servier, Solvay, Sumitomo and Wyeth. Funding Information: This paper was funded by the US President{\textquoteright}s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), through USAID under the terms of Award No. 674-A-00-08-00009-00 to the Perinatal HIV Research Unit.",

year = "2010",

month = nov,

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language = "English",

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AU - Sorsdahl, Katherine R.

AU - Mall, Sumaya

AU - Stein, Dan J.

AU - Joska, John A.

N1 - Funding Information: This study was made possible by support from USAID/ PEPFAR and the Peri-Natal Health Research Institute. The views expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of USAID/PEPFAR. John A. Joska has received support from the National Research Foundation, the Biological Psychiatry special interest group of the South Africa Society of Psychiatrists, the Medical Research Council of South Africa and the Faculty of Health Sciences Research Committee, University of Cape Town. Dan J. Stein has received research grants and/or consultancy honoraria from Astrazeneca, Eli-Lilly, Glaxosmithkline, Lundbeck, Orion, Pfizer, Pharmacia, Roche, Servier, Solvay, Sumitomo and Wyeth. Funding Information: This paper was funded by the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), through USAID under the terms of Award No. 674-A-00-08-00009-00 to the Perinatal HIV Research Unit.

PY - 2010/11

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N2 - Psychiatric disorders are more common in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) than in the general population and they exert a significant effect on many health-related outcomes. Low levels of mental health literacy and stigma may contribute to delayed treatment seeking and poorer outcomes. A convenience sample of 400 HIV-positive respondents were selected from three health clinics in Cape Town. Respondents' mental health literacy and attitudes towards psychiatric disorders were investigated. Psychiatric disorders were viewed as stress-related 70-91% of the time. Seeking help from a medical professional was often endorsed as an effective treatment option, while taking medication was rarely endorsed. Respondents held negative attitudes towards people with psychiatric disorders. In particular, people with substance abuse and PTSD were stigmatised more than those with depression and schizophrenia. The understanding of the psychobiological nature of psychiatric disorders and of existing effective treatments in PLWHA in South Africa is limited. Interventions designed to increase mental health literacy and reduce the stigma associated with psychiatric disorders may increase the likelihood of PLWHA seeking treatment should they suffer from these conditions.

AB - Psychiatric disorders are more common in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) than in the general population and they exert a significant effect on many health-related outcomes. Low levels of mental health literacy and stigma may contribute to delayed treatment seeking and poorer outcomes. A convenience sample of 400 HIV-positive respondents were selected from three health clinics in Cape Town. Respondents' mental health literacy and attitudes towards psychiatric disorders were investigated. Psychiatric disorders were viewed as stress-related 70-91% of the time. Seeking help from a medical professional was often endorsed as an effective treatment option, while taking medication was rarely endorsed. Respondents held negative attitudes towards people with psychiatric disorders. In particular, people with substance abuse and PTSD were stigmatised more than those with depression and schizophrenia. The understanding of the psychobiological nature of psychiatric disorders and of existing effective treatments in PLWHA in South Africa is limited. Interventions designed to increase mental health literacy and reduce the stigma associated with psychiatric disorders may increase the likelihood of PLWHA seeking treatment should they suffer from these conditions.

KW - South Africa

KW - acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

KW - health literacy

KW - mental health

KW - stigma

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SN - 0954-0121

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JO - AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV

JF - AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV

IS - 11

ER -

Perspectives towards mental illness in people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa

Abstract

Keywords

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