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Perinatal depression has been shown to impede adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) care continuum; therefore, treating perinatal depression may result in increased viral suppression and PMTCT adherence. We examined the effects of the M-DEPTH (Maternal Depression Treatment in HIV) depression care model (including antidepressants and individual Problem Solving Therapy) on depression, maternal viral suppression and adherence to PMTCT care processes in an ongoing cluster-randomized controlled trial of 391 HIV-infected pregnant women (200 usual care; 191 intervention) with at least mild depressive symptoms enrolled across 8 antenatal care clinics in Uganda. At baseline, 68.3% had clinical depression and 41.7% had detectable HIV viral load. Adjusted repeated-measures multivariable regression models found that the intervention group was nearly 80% less likely to be clinically depressed [Adjusted OR (95% CI) 0.22 (0.05, 0.89)] at the 2-month post-pregnancy assessment, compared to the control group. However, the intervention and control groups did not differ meaningfully on maternal viral suppression, ART adherence, and other PMTCT care processes and outcomes. In this sample of women who were mostly virally suppressed and ART adherent at baseline, the depression care model had a strong effect on depression alleviation, but no downstream effects on viral suppression or other PMTCT care processes.Trial Registration NIH Clinical Trial Registry NCT03892915 (clinicaltrials.gov)., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

With depression known to impede HIV care adherence and retention, we examined whether depression alleviation improves these disease management behaviors. A sample of 1028 depressed HIV clients in Uganda enrolled in a cluster randomized controlled trial of two depression care models, and were surveyed over 12 months. Serial regression analyses examined whether depression alleviation was associated with self-reported antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and clinic attendance at month 12, and whether these relationships were mediated by self-efficacy and motivation. Among those with major depression, depression alleviation was associated with better ART adherence and clinic attendance at month 12; these relationships were fully mediated by self-efficacy at month 12, while adherence motivation partially mediated the relationship between depression alleviation and ART adherence. When both mediators were entered simultaneously, only self-efficacy was a significant predictor and still fully mediated the relationship between depression alleviation and adherence. These findings suggest that depression alleviation benefits both ART adherence and clinic attendance, in large part through improved confidence and motivation to engage in these disease management behaviors.

Major depressive disorder in HIV-positive persons is often not diagnosed, and poorly treated. The effect of depression screening on case detection, and rates of antidepressant prescription is unknown.We assessed 368 participants for major depressive disorder, and provided clinicians with the results. Four weeks later, we abstracted information from the charts of the depressed patients to ascertain if they received antidepressants. We also randomly sampled the charts of 368 non-screened patients, to ascertain whether clinicians had diagnosed and prescribed antidepressant treatment.Major depressive disorder was identified in 17.9 % of the screened group, and in 2.1 % of the non-screened group [OR = 9.65, CI = (4.54-20.50)]. The screened individuals were 7.8 times more likely to receive antidepressants (95 % CI = 3.04-20.24). Identification of major depressive disorder by clinicians in HIV settings remains poor. However, routine screening can improve case detection rates and the proportion of patients receiving antidepressants.

Given the high prevalence of depression in PHC, the use of depression screening instruments has often been recommended. The aim of this study was to construct and validate a visual depression screening instrument in a setting of low literacy and a high burden of HIV/AIDS. We engaged the help of a fine artist to draw pictures depicting DSM-IV-TR criteria for a depressive episode. We then validated this instrument named the Akena's visual depression inventory (AVIDI), in 92 persons living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda. The performance of the AVIDI in those with high and low education levels was determined. The area under curve (AUC) score of the AVIDI was 0.82. There was no difference between the AUC scores in persons with lower versus higher education levels. The AVIDI demonstrated a good psychometric property and can therefore be used to screen for depression in settings with higher rates of illiteracy.