Rates and predictors of anxiety and depressive disorders in adolescents of parents with HIV

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Abstract
Children with a parent with HIV (PWH) are expected to be at increased risk for anxiety and depressive disorders because of the potential impact of parental HIV illness and death. PWH and their adolescent children were initially recruited in the context of a randomized intervention trial, with more than 60% of adolescents experiencing death of a parent prior to assessment. Using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, lifetime and recent anxiety and depressive disorders were measured 4 years following enrollment. Adolescents of PWH had high rates of any lifetime and recent anxiety disorders. In particular, both lifetime and recent rates of post-traumatic stress disorder were high. Lifetime anxiety disorders were significantly associated with older age, baseline emotional distress and prior traumatic exposure, while lifetime depressive disorders were associated with female gender, parental bereavement and prior traumatic exposure. These findings demonstrate the need for appropriate screening and treatment of adolescents of PWH.