Author(s)

Oumar Guira^1,2*, Hervé Tiéno^1,2, Yempabou Sagna², Ismael Diallo^1,2, Safyatou Sawadogo², Joseph Y. Drabo^1,2

¹Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Université de Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
²Service de Médecine interne, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Introduction: Depression is common in HIV/AIDS. We aim to investigate the frequency and the grade of this mental disorder in partners and determine its influence on sexual dysfunctions in serodiscordant couples in Ouagadougou. Patients/Method: This cross-sectional study was monitored from 1 January to 31 June 2010 in the internal medicine department of CHUYO, Ouagadougou. HIV-infected patients and their seronegative partners who gave their consent were included. Depression was diagnosed using the Beck Depression Inventory 13 items (BDI-13). Results: Eighty heterosexual and monogamous serodiscordant couples were studied. 31 (38.7%) HIV-infected and 23 (28.7%) seronegative partners were affected by depression; p = 0.18. The score of depression was 3.5 ± 2.1 in HIV-infected and 3.3 ± 1.6 in seronegative partners; p = 0.85. Depression was diagnosed in both partners in 13 couples (16.2%) and in only one partner in 28 couples (35%). Depression was diagnosed at least for one partner in 40 (51.3%) couples where sexual dysfunctions affected partner (s) and in 1 (50%) couple where no sexual dysfunction was reported. Conclusion: Psychological assessment is needed for a better management of HIV/AIDS in serodiscordant couples.

Depression, Serodiscordant Couples, Burkina Faso

Guira, O. , Tiéno, H. , Sagna, Y. , Diallo, I. , Sawadogo, S. and Drabo, J. (2016) Depression in HIV-Infected Compared to Their Seronegative Partners in Serodiscordant Couples in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). Open Journal of Internal Medicine, 6, 15-19. doi: 10.4236/ojim.2016.61004.