Schizophrenia and major affective disorder among medicaid recipients with HIV AIDS in New Jersey

Objectives. This study sought to identify and characterize seriously mental ly ill patients with HIV infection. Methods. Medicaid beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS were identified through the m erging of New Jersey HIV/AIDS Registry and Medicaid eligibility files. Clai ms histories were used to classify individuals as having schizophrenia, maj or affective disorder, or no serious mental illness. Results. Of 8294 individuals, 476 (5.7%) were classified as having schizoph renia, and 564 (6.8%) were classified as having major affective disorder. T hose with serious mental illness were more likely than other groups to be i njection drug users and to have claims indicative of substance abuse. Conclusions. Individuals with serious mental illness are a significant but little-recognized subgroup of those with HIV infection.