The Benefits of Psychosocial Interventions for Mental Health in People Living with HIV: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Sanne van Luenen; Nadia Garnefski; Philip Spinhoven; Pascalle Spaan; Elise Dusseldorp; Vivian Kraaij

doi:10.1007/s10461-017-1757-y

The Benefits of Psychosocial Interventions for Mental Health in People Living with HIV: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

AIDS Behav. 2018 Jan;22(1):9-42. doi: 10.1007/s10461-017-1757-y.

Authors

Sanne van Luenen¹, Nadia Garnefski², Philip Spinhoven^{2

3}, Pascalle Spaan², Elise Dusseldorp⁴, Vivian Kraaij²

Affiliations

¹ Section of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9555, 2300 RB, Leiden, The Netherlands. S.van.luenen@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
² Section of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9555, 2300 RB, Leiden, The Netherlands.
³ Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
⁴ Section of Methodology and Statistics, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

In this systematic review and meta-analysis we investigated the effectiveness of different psychosocial treatments for people living with HIV (PLWH) and mental health problems. Additionally, characteristics that may influence the effectiveness of a treatment (e.g., treatment duration) were studied. PubMed, PsycINFO and Embase were searched for randomized controlled trials on psychosocial interventions for PLWH. Depression, anxiety, quality of life, and psychological well-being were investigated as treatment outcome measures. Sixty-two studies were included in the meta-analysis. It was found that psychosocial interventions for PLWH had a small positive effect on mental health (ĝ = 0.19, 95% CI [0.13, 0.25]). Furthermore, there was evidence for publication bias. Six characteristics influenced the effectiveness of a treatment for depression. For example, larger effects were found for studies with psychologists as treatment providers. To conclude, this systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that psychosocial interventions have a beneficial effect for PLWH with mental health problems.

En esta revisión sistemática y meta-análisis se ha investigado la efectividad de los diferentes tratamientos psicosociales para las personas viviendo con VIH (PVVIH) y con problemas de salud mental. Adicionalmente, hemos estudiado las características que pueden influir en la efectividad de un tratamiento (por ejemplo, duración del tratamiento). Como medidas de tratamiento, pruebas controladas aleatorizadas de las intevenciones psicosociales para depresión, ansiedad, calidad de vida y bienestar psicológico fueron buscadas en PubMed, PsycINFO y Embase. Sesenta y dos estudios se han incluido en el metanálisis. Hemos encontrado que intervenciones psicosociales para las PVVIH tuvieron un menor efecto positivo en la salud mental (ĝ = 0.19, IC del 95% [0.13, 0.25]). Además, hubo evidencia de sesgo en la publicación. Seis características influyeron la efectividad del tratamiento para la depresión. Por ejemplo, hemos encontrado efectos mayores en estudios con psicólogos como proveedores del tratamiento. Concluyendo, esta revisión sistemática y meta-análisis indica que las intervenciones psicosociales tienen un efecto beneficioso para gente con PVVIH y con problemas de salud mental.

Keywords: Depression; HIV; Mental health; Meta-analysis; Psychosocial intervention.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Anxiety / therapy*
Depression / therapy*
HIV Infections / psychology*
Humans
Mental Disorders / therapy*
Mental Health
Psychotherapy / methods*
Quality of Life
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Grants and funding

2013027/Aids Fonds/International

Abstract in English, Spanish

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

Abstract
in English, Spanish