Association of depression and antidepressant therapy with antiretroviral therapy adherence and health-related quality of life in men who have sex with men

PLoS One. 2022 Feb 25;17(2):e0264503. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264503. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

UNAIDS' HIV treatment targets require that 90% of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) achieve viral suppression and 90% of people with viral suppression have good health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study aimed to examine the association of depression and antidepressant therapy with ART adherence and HRQOL in HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM). From 2018 through 2020, HIV-infected MSMs were consecutively recruited (N = 565) for the evaluation of ART adherence and HRQOL at Taipei City Hospital HIV clinics. Non-adherence to ART was defined as a Medication Adherence Report Scale score of < 23. HRQOL in PLWHHA was evaluated using WHOQOL-BREF, Taiwan version. Overall, 14.0% had depression and 12.4% exhibited non-adherence to ART. The nonadherence proportion was 21.8% and 10.5% in depressed and nondepressed HIV-infected MSM, respectively. After adjusting for other covariates, depression was associated with a higher risk of nonadherence to ART (adjusted odds ratio = 2.02; 95% confidence interval: 1.02-4.00). Physical, psychological, social, and environmental HRQOL were significantly negatively associated with depression. Considering antidepressant therapy, ART nonadherence was significantly associated with depression without antidepressant therapy but not with antidepressant therapy. The depressed HIV-infected MSM without antidepressant therapy had worse psychological, social, and environmental HRQOL than those with antidepressant therapy. Our study suggests that depression is associated with poor ART adherence and HRQOL, particularly in those without antidepressant therapy. Adequate diagnosis and treatment of depression should be provided for PLWHA to improve their ART adherence and HRQOL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anti-Retroviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Depression / complications*
  • Depression / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections / complications
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • Homosexuality, Male / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Linear Models
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Medication Adherence / statistics & numerical data*
  • Middle Aged
  • Quality of Life*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Taiwan
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Retroviral Agents
  • Antidepressive Agents

Grants and funding

This study was supported by two grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST108-2410-H-532-001) and the Department of Health, Taipei City Government, Taiwan (No. 10801-62-006). The study sponsors were not involved in the study design, the collection, analysis, or interpretation of the data, the writing of this report, or the decision to submit it for publication.