TOPLINE: 

General and internalized stigma were independently linked to increased odds of having clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety in people living with HIV/AIDS. Transgender individuals and women faced a greater risk for anxiety, highlighting gender identity and stigma as key factors influencing their mental health.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a community-based study to determine the added value of age, years living with HIV, and gender together with general and internalized stigma in predicting symptoms of depression and anxiety in people living with HIV.
• They enrolled 1666 people living with HIV (mean age, 40.12 years; 63.02% men; 4.26% transgender individuals) from seven Brazilian capitals.
• All participants responded to questions about their experiences of facing general and internalized HIV-related stigma and to the Patient Health Questionnaire. The results were compared between those with and those without clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety.

TAKEAWAY:

• The risk for clinically significant symptoms of depression was significantly higher in those who experienced greater general (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.071; 95% CI, 1.036-1.107) or internalized (aOR, 1.419; 95% CI, 1.316-1.530) HIV-related stigma.
• Likewise, both general and internalized HIV-related stigma scores were linked to increased odds of clinically significant anxiety symptoms (aOR, 1.052; 95% CI, 1.018-1.086; and aOR, 1.306; 95% CI, 1.217-1.401, respectively).
• Transgender participants had almost twice the risk for anxiety compared with men (aOR, 2.045; 95% CI, 1.131-3.700), whereas women had a 36% higher risk than men (aOR, 1.363; 95% CI, 1.053-1.763).

IN PRACTICE:

"Addressing the various forms of stigma experienced by individuals living with HIV requires a comprehensive approach that encompasses psychological, social, behavioural, and public health factors, aligning with current competencies that are effective in HIV practice," the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Guilherme Welter Wendt, PhD, Western Paraná State University in Francisco Beltrão, Brazil. It was published online on August 19, 2025, in HIV Medicine.

LIMITATIONS: 

The observational design and potential bias in data collection may have affected the study. Although the sample was statistically powerful, it may not have fully represented the entire Brazilian population living with HIV/AIDS. The Patient Health Questionnaire screening tool used in the study may not have captured all symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

DISCLOSURES:

This study was funded by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. The authors reported no conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.