Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Living with HIV-AIDS in Enugu, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract: Most efforts to care for children and adolescents with HIV/AIDS have been geared toward handling their physical health needs disregarding their mental health burden, including suicidality and mental health-seeking behaviour. We aimed to determine rates of psychiatric disorders, suicidal tendencies, and health-seeking behaviour among a group of children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS in Enugu, Nigeria. A total of 288 children and adolescents aged 9–19 years living with HIV/AIDS in four health facilities providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) services were studied. The questionnaire was adapted from the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) with other sections addressing socio-demographic characteristics and mental health-seeking behaviours. Results were presented as frequencies and proportions and Spearman’s correlation test assessed correlations between suicidal tendencies, mental disorders, and other variables. Seventy (24.3%) of the participants had mental disorder, 31 (10.8%) had suicidal tendencies, 153 (53.1%) felt there was a need for therapy, and 103 (35.8%) sought help. While caring for the medical complications of HIV/AIDS in this population, mental health problems are also prevalent, including suicidal tendencies. Creating awareness and more centers caring for this group of people might improve their mental health-seeking behaviour.