The Howard University HIV-HCV Caribbean Clinicians Community of Practice (CCCoP)
Archived Webinars
Mitigating the Impact of HIV on our Children's Mental Health
Flavia DeSouza MD, MHS
Board Certified Psychiatrist
Howard University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
April 13, 2023
Does HIV infection and treatment lead to mental health problems, or does the mental health problem cause behavior which increases likelihood of HIV infection? Compared with the general population, rates of mental health complications are higher among people who are vulnerable to acquiring HIV as well as People with HIV (PWH), people living with HIV have a higher chance of developing mood, anxiety, and cognitive disorders. Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions faced by people living with HIV. The side effects of some medications used to treat HIV may affect a person's mental health. Prioritizing mental health treatment and integrating it so each step in the HIV care continuum act to strengthen prevention and care outcomes is critical. Identifying vital screening tools, effective treatments, and strategies to care for mental health problems among people at risk for and living with HIV will be addressed in this webinar.