Prevalence and factors associated with psychiatric disorders among adults living with human immunodeficiency virus in southwestern Uganda

Prevalence and factors associated with psychiatric disorders among adults living with human immunodeficiency virus in southwestern Uganda | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Prevalence and factors associated with psychiatric disorders among adults living with human immunodeficiency virus in southwestern Uganda Roger Ilunga Muland, Guylord Inena wa Inena, Bivins Mutume Nzanzu, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8428611/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background: Psychiatric disorders are common among people living with HIV (PLWH) and negatively affect treatment adherence, quality of life, and clinical outcomes. Evidence from southwestern Uganda remains limited. This study assessed the prevalence of, and factors associated with, common psychiatric disorders (CPDs) among adult PLWH. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 221 adults attending the HIV clinic at Kampala International University Teaching Hospital, Uganda, between January and September 2022. Data were collected using validated screening tools and medical record reviews. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with CPDs. Results: The mean age of participants was 35.9 ± 9.0 years, and 55.7% were female. Overall, 28.1% (95% CI: 27.9–28.1) screened positive for at least one psychiatric disorder, and 12.7% had comorbid conditions. Depression (12.2%) was most prevalent, followed by psychosis (11.8%), generalized anxiety disorder (11.3%), and alcohol use disorder (9.0%). Independent predictors of CPDs included being Muslim (aOR = 14.74; 95% CI: 2.28–95.29), cohabiting (aOR = 27.07; 95% CI: 2.49–294.50), having financial liabilities (aOR = 2.79; 95% CI: 1.05–7.45), and longer duration of HIV infection (aOR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.00–1.21). Business ownership (aOR = 0.04; 95% CI: 0.003–0.50) and higher perceived social support (aOR = 0.24; 95% CI: 0.14–0.40) were protective. Conclusions: More than one-quarter of adults living with HIV in southwestern Uganda had a common psychiatric disorder. Integrating routine mental health screening and psychosocial support into HIV care is essential. HIV psychiatric disorders mental health Uganda sub-Saharan Africa Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers invited by journal 30 Jan, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 27 Jan, 2026 Editor invited by journal 05 Jan, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 02 Jan, 2026 First submitted to journal 02 Jan, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8428611","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":582875982,"identity":"8635a91b-b8d3-4ccf-8fc1-3479a356cece","order_by":0,"name":"Roger Ilunga Muland","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Kampala International University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Roger","middleName":"Ilunga","lastName":"Muland","suffix":""},{"id":582875983,"identity":"189d4ff5-b8e0-4339-99ca-b0a778ad45c9","order_by":1,"name":"Guylord Inena wa Inena","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Kampala International University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Guylord","middleName":"Inena wa","lastName":"Inena","suffix":""},{"id":582875984,"identity":"c7ff6aba-33fb-4a63-b274-f3e65c0f7224","order_by":2,"name":"Bivins Mutume Nzanzu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Kampala International University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Bivins","middleName":"Mutume","lastName":"Nzanzu","suffix":""},{"id":582875985,"identity":"9310c945-213c-49fe-ae74-e87836e1f135","order_by":3,"name":"Abamara Nnaemeka Abamara","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Kampala International University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Abamara","middleName":"Nnaemeka","lastName":"Abamara","suffix":""},{"id":582875986,"identity":"dca77356-07a2-49c8-a19a-25f851ec3b45","order_by":4,"name":"Ben Forry","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Kampala International University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ben","middleName":"","lastName":"Forry","suffix":""},{"id":582875987,"identity":"4f55f32e-221b-4ce7-8dcc-242fc8f27f7a","order_by":5,"name":"Charles Kayembe Tshilumba","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Kisangani","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Charles","middleName":"Kayembe","lastName":"Tshilumba","suffix":""},{"id":582875988,"identity":"709e4e92-30db-4b6f-9158-2cdaad655448","order_by":6,"name":"Norbert Norbert Gumisiriza1","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Kampala International University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Norbert","middleName":"Norbert","lastName":"Gumisiriza1","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-12-22 22:38:24","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8428611/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8428611/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":101753043,"identity":"25ad80ff-9edd-444a-b0e2-2778f7fe27b4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-03 10:39:00","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":321822,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"FinalBMCPsychiatryManuscriptrevise2.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8428611/v1_covered_93cb1081-4898-447c-b992-5dc790edb1fb.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Prevalence and factors associated with psychiatric disorders among adults living with human immunodeficiency virus in southwestern Uganda","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-psychiatry","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"bpsy","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Psychiatry](http://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/bpsy/default.aspx","title":"BMC Psychiatry","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"HIV, psychiatric disorders, mental health, Uganda, sub-Saharan Africa","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8428611/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8428611/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Background: Psychiatric disorders are common among people living with HIV (PLWH) and negatively affect treatment adherence, quality of life, and clinical outcomes. Evidence from southwestern Uganda remains limited. This study assessed the prevalence of, and factors associated with, common psychiatric disorders (CPDs) among adult PLWH.\nMethods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 221 adults attending the HIV clinic at Kampala International University Teaching Hospital, Uganda, between January and September 2022. Data were collected using validated screening tools and medical record reviews. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with CPDs.\nResults: The mean age of participants was 35.9 ± 9.0 years, and 55.7% were female. Overall, 28.1% (95% CI: 27.9–28.1) screened positive for at least one psychiatric disorder, and 12.7% had comorbid conditions. Depression (12.2%) was most prevalent, followed by psychosis (11.8%), generalized anxiety disorder (11.3%), and alcohol use disorder (9.0%). Independent predictors of CPDs included being Muslim (aOR = 14.74; 95% CI: 2.28–95.29), cohabiting (aOR = 27.07; 95% CI: 2.49–294.50), having financial liabilities (aOR = 2.79; 95% CI: 1.05–7.45), and longer duration of HIV infection (aOR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.00–1.21). Business ownership (aOR = 0.04; 95% CI: 0.003–0.50) and higher perceived social support (aOR = 0.24; 95% CI: 0.14–0.40) were protective.\nConclusions: More than one-quarter of adults living with HIV in southwestern Uganda had a common psychiatric disorder. Integrating routine mental health screening and psychosocial support into HIV care is essential.","manuscriptTitle":"Prevalence and factors associated with psychiatric disorders among adults living with human immunodeficiency virus in southwestern Uganda","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-02 17:58:28","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8428611/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-01-30T07:20:23+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-01-27T09:47:35+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2026-01-05T16:54:33+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-01-02T17:01:31+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Psychiatry","date":"2026-01-02T16:57:56+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-psychiatry","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"bpsy","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Psychiatry](http://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/bpsy/default.aspx","title":"BMC Psychiatry","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"0a73f616-f784-4fbb-b9f6-b0e07313119c","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 2nd, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-02-02T17:58:28+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-02 17:58:28","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8428611","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8428611","identity":"rs-8428611","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}