HIV Care Continuum Outcomes Among Adolescents and Young Adults Living With HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean: Association With Depression and Substance Use - Summary - MDSpire

HIV Care Continuum Outcomes Among Adolescents and Young Adults Living With HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean: Association With Depression and Substance Use

  • By

  • Daisy Maria Machado

  • Stephany N Duda

  • Regina Célia de Menezes Succi

  • Ahra Kim

  • Paridhi Ranadive

  • Vanessa Rouzier

  • Brenda Crabtree-Ramírez

  • Marco T Luque

  • Fernando Mejia

  • Fernanda Rodríguez

  • Jorge Pinto

  • Sandra Wagner Cardoso

  • Fernanda Maruri

  • Bryan E Shepherd

  • Catherine C McGowan

  • Anna K Person

  • June 17, 2025

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To evaluate the prevalence of depression and substance use among adolescents and young adults with HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean, and their association with ART adherence, viral suppression, and retention in care, specifically examining how these factors interact.

Key Findings:
  • Depression prevalence among participants was 16%.
  • 58% reported alcohol use, 28% tobacco use, 17% cannabis use, and 4% cocaine use.
  • 41% missed 1 or more doses of ART in the past week (p-value needed).
  • 40% had detectable viral loads at the time of survey completion (p-value needed).
  • Participants who acquired HIV perinatally were more likely to have unsuppressed viral loads (aOR, 2.4).
  • Only 73% of participants were retained in care after the survey.
Interpretation:

Substance use and depression are prevalent among AYAWH, negatively impacting ART adherence and viral suppression, highlighting the urgent need for integrated mental health and substance use interventions, such as counseling and support groups.

Limitations:
  • Cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, making it difficult to establish direct relationships.
  • Self-reported data may be subject to bias, potentially affecting the accuracy of substance use and adherence reports.
  • Limited generalizability due to specific geographic focus, which may not represent AYAWH in other regions.
Conclusion:

The study underscores the urgent need to address mental health and substance use issues in AYAWH to improve HIV care outcomes.

Original Source(s)

HIV Care Continuum Outcomes Among Adolescents and Young Adults Living With HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean: Association With Depression and Substance Use

  • by Daisy Maria Machado, Stephany N Duda, Regina Célia de Menezes Succi, Ahra Kim, Paridhi Ranadive, Vanessa Rouzier, Brenda Crabtree-Ramírez, Marco T Luque, Fernando Mejia, Fernanda Rodríguez, Jorge Pinto, Sandra Wagner Cardoso, Fernanda Maruri, Bryan E Shepherd, Catherine C McGowan, Anna K Person

  • June 17, 2025

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