Comparative Assessment of the Mental Health Status of HIVPositive and HIV-Negative Intravenous Drug Users

Background: Intravenous (IV) drug use and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are closely associated and are among the major public health dilemmas worldwide. A considerable number of IV drug users are infected with HIV; this further adds to the risk of the occurrence of psychological disorders in these individuals. This study aimed to assess the mental health status of IV drug users with and without HIV infection. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on ۲۷۰ IV drug users, ۹۰ and ۱۸۰ HIV-positive and HIV-negative cases, in Hamadan in ۲۰۱۹. The data were collected using general health questionnaire-۲۸ (GHQ-۲۸) and then analyzed by SPSS, version ۱۵. Results: Based on the results, HIV-negative IV drug users had a better mental health status in comparison to HIV-positive IV drug users, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = ۰.۰۷۲). The assessment of GHQ-۲۸ subscales revealed that the score of the social dysfunction subscale was significantly higher in HIV-positive subjects compared to HIV-negative cases (P = ۰.۰۰۴). Conclusion: It appears that the mental health status of IV drug users is suboptimal, and HIV infection can compromise the quality of life of addicts, particularly in terms of social function. Thus, designing strategies to improve the mental health status of IV drug users and their compliance with hygienic measures can promote public health.

Keywords:

Addiction , AIDS , Mental Health , GHQ