Journal of Antivirals & Antiretrovirals
Open Access
ISSN: 1948-5964
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 1948-5964
+44 1300 500008
Shittu Rasaq Olatunji
Kwara State Specialist Hospital, Nigeria
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Antivir Antiretrovir
Introduction: Transient suicide thoughts are common to some people throughout the course of HIV disease and often do not indicate significant risk of suicide. However, persistent suicidal thoughts with associated feelings of hopelessness and intent to die are very serious and must be assessed promptly and carefully. Aim: The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine the relationship between depression, hopelessness, psychosocial stressors and suicidal ideation in PLWHAs. Methods: This was a hospital based, cross sectional, descriptive study, of one hundred and seventy depressed adult HIV/AIDS patients of Kwara State Specialist Hospital, Ilorin. Depression and suicidal assessment were evaluated using the PHQ-9 scale. A score of >9 or any affirmative response to question 9 of the PHQ-9 scale necessitated suicidal risk assessment. The social determinant questionnaire was used to evaluate social cohesion and negative life events. Results: The prevalence of depression among the HIV/AID patient was 56.7%. Twenty nine (17.1%) were hopeless, twenty eight (16.5%) had at one time or the other thought of taking their lives, six (3.5%) had plan to take their lives. There was strong statistical association between depression, hopelessness (p-value=0.000), thought of taking life (p-value=0.000) and plan to take their lives (p-value=0.030). Conclusion: The significant correlations between hopelessness, depression and suicidal ideation are important markers that should alert clinicians to underlying suicide risk in HIV-positive patients. In addition, low social cohesion and stressful life events were found to be risk factors for depression and suicide. Clinicians should routinely enquire about suicidality in PLWHAs to assist early diagnosis and intervention.
Shittu Rasaq Olatunji attended University of Ilorin, Nigeria for his First Degree, where he bagged Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). He later proceeded to the Post-Graduate School in the same Institution for his Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH). He is a Fellow of the West African College of Physician (FWACP), Family Medicine. He is currently the Head of Department of Family Medicine, Accident and Emergency and Lentiviral Clinics of Kwara State Specialist Hospital, Sobi, Ilorin, Nigeria. He is also the Chief Medical Director of Oorelope Hospital (Consultant Specialist Clinics) at Apata Yakuba, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
Email: oorelopehospital@gmail.com