Background: Postpartum depression among mothers living with HIV is a significant public health problem due to its effects on engagement in care, HIV disease progression, and an increased risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with postpartum depression among mothers living with HIV.
Design: The study employed a cross-sectional quantitative research design.
Methods: In this cross-sectional survey, we consecutively recruited 290 participants among mothers attending postnatal, immunization, and family planning clinics at an urban clinic in Uganda. Using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, we collected data on socio-demographics, obstetric, and HIV-related characteristics. Postpartum depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire version 9. We classified participants with Patient Health Questionnaire version 9 scores of ⩾10 as having postpartum depression. We conducted logistic regression to examine the association between postpartum depression and independent variables.
Results: The prevalence of postpartum depression was 15.9%. After controlling for other variables, participants who reported poor male partner support were more likely to experience postpartum depression compared to those who had good partner support (adjusted odds ratio = 4.52, confidence interval = 2.31-8.84, p value < 0.001).
Conclusion: Mothers living with HIV should be routinely assessed for the presence of depression and male partner support. Health care providers of HIV-infected women should design strategies to promote male partner support for better maternal, infant, and HIV treatment outcomes.
Keywords: HIV; Uganda; depression; postpartum; urban.