Tang AM, Muzzio E, Naveira J, Segura M, Sheehan H, Benetucci J, Redini L, Weissenbacher M, Hellinger J. Factors associated with depressive symptoms among HIV-positive and HIV-negative drug users in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 4th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention incorporating the 19th ASHM Conference, July 22-25, 2007, Sydney, Australia. Abstract #CDB454.
Objectives: To examine correlates of depression severity among HIV-positive and HIV-negative drug users in Buenos Aires.
Methods: We analyzed data from 207 HIV-positive and HIV-negative former and current drug users enrolled in the TANGO study, a cross-sectional study to identify patterns of drug use, health and metabolic status among a drug using population. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), a widely validated 20-item scale, was used to measure severity of depressive symptoms. The scale is scored from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating increased severity of depression symptomatology. Generalized linear models were used to examine correlates of depression severity, including injection and non-injection drug use, HIV status, age, gender, alcohol use, tobacco smoking, level of education and racial group.
Results: The mean CES-D score for the overall population was 23.5±13.5. Using two different but standard cutoffs for diagnosis of depression, 66% scored above 16 and 47% scored above 23. In multivariate regression models, current use of injection and noninjection drugs (b=10.4, p=.02), alcohol use (b=5.0, p=.008), tobacco smoking (b=6.4, p=.02) and being of Amerindian race (b=4.8, p=.03) were all significantly associated with increased severity of depression symptoms. Use of non-injection drugs only showed a trend towards increased depression severity (b=6.8, p=.06). Gender, age, HIV status and education level were not associated with depression. In a separate multivariate model examining specific types of drugs use, smoking coca paste, snorting cocaine and using sedatives were all associated with increased depression severity, while injection cocaine use was not.
Conclusions: Our results indicate high rates of depression and depressive symptoms in this population. Traditional risk factors, such as HIV status, gender, and age, were not associated with depression severity in this population. The need for depression interventions among both HIV-positive and HIV-negative active substance abusers is apparent.
