Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression among Patients Suffering from HIV/AIDS

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in HIV positive and HIV negative individuals. The sample consisted of two hundred participants (N =200), including two groups: hundred HIV positive individuals and hundred HIV negative individuals, including males and females ranging in ages between twenty to fifty years with educational background of primary, intermediate and above, from Peshawar and Rawalpindi- Islamabad. Convenient sampling methods were used. Participants were interviewed individually on Beck depression inventory and Clinician administered PTSD scale in addition with self-constructed structured interview to seek demographic information such as age, sex, educational qualification, and other required information. Overall analysis was completed on SPSS using mean, standard deviations and independent sample t-test. Results indicate significant differences among HIV positive and HIV negative individuals on the variable beck depression inventory (t=15.800, df=198, p<.001) and Clinician administered PTSD scale (t=15.382, df=198, p<.001). The results verified the hypotheses which indicated that HIV is associated with higher levels of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder and are consistent with previous studies conducted by confirming that there is significantly high occurrence of depression and PTSD with HIV-positive status. Hence psychologists and mental health professionals should play their role in alleviating the suffering of these individuals. In addition, these findings have implications for therapeutic interventions and also suggest avenue for future research.