A 2025 review estimated that about one-third of people living with HIV in the included studies had depressive symptoms.
What they studied
Researchers combined studies from African countries that measured depressive symptoms among people living with HIV. They also examined factors associated with higher or lower levels of depressive symptoms.
What the research found
Across 59 studies, the pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms among people living with HIV was 33.3%.
The estimate was higher in East Africa than in West Africa in the subgroup analysis.
Depressive symptoms were also more common among people reporting HIV-related stigma or poor social support, and among people with some markers of greater health vulnerability.
What this helps us understand
The review places social conditions alongside clinical ones in the mental-health picture of HIV. Stigma and social support were associated with depressive symptoms across the studies. For HIV programs and communication teams, this provides evidence for considering mental health and social experience alongside treatment and care.
