AN ASSESSMENT OF RATES OF PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY AND FUNCTIONING IN HIV DISEASE

This study examined demography, rates of psychopathology, and function al impairment in HIV-seropositive women and men in a large, urban, pub lic outpatient infectious disease clinic. Fifty-three percent of the w omen and 70% of the men met Structured Clinical interview for DSM-III- R criteria for psychiatric disorders. Current mood disorders were the most frequent diagnoses, followed by psychoactive substance abuse/depe ndence disorders and psychotic disorders. Seventy-six percent of the w omen and 90% of the men had previous psychiatric histories, including 59% of the women and 55% of the men who had psychiatric histories prio r to their knowledge of HIV seroconversion. Depressed subjects reporte d significant impairment in physical, social, and role functioning. Si milarly, impairment in physical functioning was highly correlated with self-reported anxiety symptoms. These data suggest considerable past and current psychiatric comorbidity in HIV-infected individuals seekin g medical care, and draw attention to the need for recognition and agg ressive psychiatric treatment, particularly for those depressed and an xious patients with impaired functioning.