Psychological distress and HIV status among adolescents in South Africa in 2017

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess psychological distress (PD) and HIV status among adolescents in South Africa. In a national cross-sectional 2017 community-based survey, 4,242 adolescents (15-19 years) responded to structured interview questions and had complete HIV status measurements. Logistic regression was utilized to estimate the predictors of PD. Results indicate that the prevalence of PD was 16.6% in the overall sample, 16.3% in the HIV positive and 16.6% in the HIV negative sample. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, older adolescents (17-19 years) and poorer self-rated health status were associated with PD. Measured HIV status and substance use were not significantly associated with PD. However, among those who self-reported to be HIV positive the prevalence of PD was 37.5%, and among those who reported to be HIV negative, the prevalence of PD was 18.6% (p < 0.001). A high proportion of adolescents in South Africa had PD and several associated factors were found to be targeted in interventions.