Posttraumatic stress disorder in response to HIV infection

This study investigated the psychological impact of HIV infection through a ssessment of posttraumatic stress disorder in response to HIV infection. Si xty-one HIV-positive homosexual/bisexual men were assessed for posttraumati c stress disorder in response to HIV infection (PTSD-HIV) using a modified PTSD module of the DIS-III-R. Thirty percent met criteria for a syndrome of posttraumatic stress disorder in response to HIV diagnosis (PTSD-HIV). In over one-third of the PTSD cases, the disorder had an onset greater than 6 months after initial HIV infection diagnosis. PTSD-HIV was associated with other psychiatric diagnoses, particularly the development of first episodes of major depression after HIV infection diagnosis. PTSD-HIV was significan tly associated with a pre-HIV history of PTSD from other causes, and other pre-HIV psychiatric disorders and neuroticism scores, indicating a similari ty with findings in studies of PTSD from other causes. The findings from th is preliminary study suggest that a PTSD response to HIV diagnosis has clin ical validity and requires further investigation in this population and oth er medically ill groups. The results support the inclusion of the diagnosis of life-threatening illness as a traumatic incident that may lead to a pos ttraumatic stress disorder, which is consistent with the DSM-IV criteria. ( C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.