6 research outputs found
Levels of self-reported depression and anxiety among HIV-positive patients in Albania: a cross-sectional study
Aim To gain an initial perspective of mental health issues
facing the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-positive
population at the University Hospital Center of Tirana
(UHCT) HIV/AIDS Ambulatory Clinic.
Methods From June-August 2009, we conducted semistructured
interviews with 79 patients (93% response rate)
at the UHCT HIV/AIDS Ambulatory Clinic. The interviews
assessed patient-reported histories of mental health diagnoses,
patients’ demographics, and current emotional
health status.
Results The percentage of patients who reported a history
of diagnosis of depression or anxiety was high – 62.3%
and 82.3%, respectively. Factors associated with a history
of depression included having been diagnosed with anxiety
(P < 0.001), having a higher number of barriers to care
(P < 0.001), having a higher number of current medical and
social needs (P < 0.001), or having not obtained antiretroviral
therapy (ART) abroad (P = 0.004). Factors associated
with a history of anxiety included having been on firstline
ART (P = 0.008), having been diagnosed with HIV for
shorter periods of time (P = 0.043), having been diagnosed
with depression (P < 0.001), having a higher number of current
medical and social needs (P = 0.035), or having not obtained
ART abroad (P = 0.003).
Conclusions Mental health problems are widespread
among the known HIV-positive patient population in Albania.
The high prevalences of anxiety and depression
and of dual diagnoses of these conditions suggest the
need for more mental health care for HIV-positive patients
in Albania
Levels of self-reported depression and anxiety among HIV-positive patients in Albania: a cross-sectional study
Aim To gain an initial perspective of mental health issues
facing the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-positive
population at the University Hospital Center of Tirana
(UHCT) HIV/AIDS Ambulatory Clinic.
Methods From June-August 2009, we conducted semistructured
interviews with 79 patients (93% response rate)
at the UHCT HIV/AIDS Ambulatory Clinic. The interviews
assessed patient-reported histories of mental health diagnoses,
patients’ demographics, and current emotional
health status.
Results The percentage of patients who reported a history
of diagnosis of depression or anxiety was high – 62.3%
and 82.3%, respectively. Factors associated with a history
of depression included having been diagnosed with anxiety
(P < 0.001), having a higher number of barriers to care
(P < 0.001), having a higher number of current medical and
social needs (P < 0.001), or having not obtained antiretroviral
therapy (ART) abroad (P = 0.004). Factors associated
with a history of anxiety included having been on firstline
ART (P = 0.008), having been diagnosed with HIV for
shorter periods of time (P = 0.043), having been diagnosed
with depression (P < 0.001), having a higher number of current
medical and social needs (P = 0.035), or having not obtained
ART abroad (P = 0.003).
Conclusions Mental health problems are widespread
among the known HIV-positive patient population in Albania.
The high prevalences of anxiety and depression
and of dual diagnoses of these conditions suggest the
need for more mental health care for HIV-positive patients
in Albania
Cultural adaptation of a survey to assess medical providers' knowledge of and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS in Albania.
Though the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Southeastern Europe is one of low reported prevalence, numerous studies have described the pervasiveness of medical providers' lack of knowledge of HIV/AIDS in the Balkans. This study sought to culturally adapt an instrument to assess medical providers' knowledge of and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS in Albania. Cultural adaptation was completed through development of a survey from previously validated instruments, translation of the survey into Albanian, blinded back translation, expert committee review of the draft instrument, focus group pre-testing with community- and University Hospital Center of Tirana-based physicians and nurses, and test-retest reliability testing. Blinded back translation of the instrument supported the initial translation with slight changes to the idiomatic and conceptual equivalences. Focus group pre-testing generally supported the instrument, yet some experiential and idiomatic changes were implemented. Based on unweighted kappa and/or prevalence adjusted bias adjusted kappa (PABAK), 20 of the 43 questions were deemed statistically significant at kappa and/or PABAK ≥0.5, while 12 others did not cross zero on the 95% confidence interval for kappa, indicating their probable significance. Subsequently, an instrument to assess medical providers' knowledge of and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS for an Albanian population was developed which can be expanded within Albania and potentially to other countries within the Balkans, which have an Albanian-speaking population
Antiretroviral therapy adherence and predictors to adherence in Albania: a cross-sectional study
Steps of cultural adaptation of a measure to assess medical providers’ knowledge of and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS in Albania.
<p>Steps of cultural adaptation of a measure to assess medical providers’ knowledge of and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS in Albania.</p