Abstract:
Background: Pregnancy and postpartum periods are crucial stages for women’s
mental health, and women living with HIV are particularly susceptible to
depression and psychological stress due to various factors. This study investigated
the prevalence and associated factors of depression and perceived stress among
women living with HIV during their perinatal period in Ibadan, Nigeria.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in three HIV treatment centers
in Ibadan, Nigeria, among women living with HIV between the ages of 19 and
49 who were either pregnant or had given birth within the last 2 years. The
study was conducted from September 2022 to December 2022. An intervieweradministered
questionnaire
was used to collect the data
from
the participants.
Ethical
approval
and informed
consent
were
obtained, and data
were
analyzed
using
the Statistical
Package
for
Social Science version 26.
Results: The study included 402 participants, of whom 69.0 and 78.0% reported
symptoms of depression and perceived stress, respectively. However, 15.2% of
the participants have comorbid depression and stress. Positive partner status
was significantly associated with lower perceived depression, while gestational
age between 29 and 40 weeks was significantly associated with lower perceived
stress. The co-occurrence of depression and perceived stress was associated
with partner status, income level, family support, gestational age, and years on
antiretroviral therapy.
Conclusion: The high prevalence of depression, perceived stress, and their cooccurrence
among women living with HIV during the perinatal
period call for
incorporating
mental health care
into routine
maternal
healthcare
for
all women,
particularly
those
living
with
HIV.
This
finding
emphasizes
the
need
for
public
health
efforts
to prioritize
perinatal
mental health and improve
access to care
and
support
for
women and their partners
