Rates and types of psychiatric disorders in perinatally human immunodeficiency virus-infected youth and seroreverters

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine 1) the prevalence of psychiatric and substance use disorders in perinatally HIV‐infected (HIV+) adolescents and 2) the association between HIV infection and these mental health outcomes by comparing HIV+ youths to HIV exposed but uninfected youths (HIV‐) from similar communities. Methods: Data for this paper come from the baseline interview of a longitudinal study of mental health outcomes in 9‐16 year old perinatally HIV‐exposed youths (61% HIV+) and their caregivers. Three hundred forty youths and their primary adult caregivers were recruited from four medical centers and participated in separate individual interviews. Youth psychiatric disorder was assessed using the caregiver and youth versions of The Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC‐IV). Results: According to caregiver or youth report, a high percentage of HIV+ and HIV‐ youths met criteria for a non‐substance use psychiatric disorder, with significantly higher rates among the HIV+ youths (61% vs. 49%, OR = 1.59; CI = 1.03,2.47; p