Depression and Adjustment Disorder in Patients With HIV Disease.

Depressive symptoms are common in patients with HIV disease, reflecting in part the contribution of preexisting depressive illness to risk behaviors for acquisition of HIV infection. Depression complicates management of HIV disease by increasing the likelihood of nonadherence to antiretroviral treatment regimens. HIV-infected patients with depressive symptoms may also be more likely to engage in behaviors that put others at risk of infection. These issues and approaches to diagnosis and treatment of depression in HIV-infected patients were discussed by Andrew F. Angelino, MD, at the Clinical Pathway of the Ryan White CARE Act 2002 All Grantee Conference held in Washington, DC, in August 2002.