Age-Varying Associations of Depressive Symptoms and Heavy Episodic Drinking Throughout Adulthood among People with HIV and Receiving Care in Cameroon within a National “Treat All” Policy

Citation

Lancaster, Kathryn E.; Remch, Molly; Edmonds, Andrew; Ajeh, Rogers; Dzudie, Anastase; Adedimeji, Adebola; Nash, Denis; Anastos, Kathryn; Yotebieng, Marcel; & Yone-Pefura, Eric Walter, et al. (2023). Age-Varying Associations of Depressive Symptoms and Heavy Episodic Drinking Throughout Adulthood among People with HIV and Receiving Care in Cameroon within a National “Treat All” Policy. AIDS and Behavior, 27(7), 2070-2078. PMCID: PMC10557023

Abstract

Comorbid depression and heavy episodic drinking (HED) may threaten the success of "treat all" policies in sub-Saharan Africa as the population of people with HIV (PWH) ages. We investigated associations between depressive symptoms and heavy episodic drinking (HED) and the extent the relationship differed across ages among PWH receiving HIV care in Cameroon. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 18-60-year-old PWH on antiretroviral therapy in Cameroon from January 2016 to March 2020. Age-varying effect modelling was conducted to assess associations between depressive symptoms and HED across ages and by gender. Prevalence of depression and HED was highest at ages 20 and 25, respectively. After age 25, the magnitude of the association between depressive symptoms and HED was significant and increased until age 30 (aOR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.48, 2.39), with associations remaining significant until age 55 (aOR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.17, 2.29). Women had more variability and higher magnitudes of associations between depressive symptoms and HED than men. The interrelationship between depressive symptoms and HED was significant throughout most of adulthood for PWH receiving HIV care in Cameroon. Understanding age and gender trends in these associations can guide integration efforts in HIV care settings.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10461-022-03939-4

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2023

Journal Title

AIDS and Behavior

Author(s)

Lancaster, Kathryn E.
Remch, Molly
Edmonds, Andrew
Ajeh, Rogers
Dzudie, Anastase
Adedimeji, Adebola
Nash, Denis
Anastos, Kathryn
Yotebieng, Marcel
Yone-Pefura, Eric Walter
Nsame, Denis
Parcesepe, Angela M.

Article Type

Regular

PMCID

PMC10557023

Data Set/Study

Central Africa International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (CA-IeDEA)

Continent/Country

Burundi
Cameroon
Democratic Republic of Congo
Republic of Congo
Rwanda

ORCiD

Parcesepe - 0000-0002-4321-125x