HIV Suicide: who's at greatest risk?

Straight men, black African people and others who keep their HIV status secret think about suicide almost twice as much as other people living with HIV, according to new research from 5 HIV clinics in the UK.

Researchers invited all 1006 attendees at 5 HIV clinics to participate in a study on suicidal thoughts.  778 people with HIV (86%) agreed to take part and provided detailed information and completed the Memorial Symptom Assessment Schedule on psychological and physical symptoms.

Overall one third of respondents (249, 31%) reported ever thinking about suicide. A number of factors correlated with thinking about suicide, these were, straight men (compared with gay men and women), black ethnicity (compared with whites and Asians), unemployment, lack of HIV status disclosure, stopping antiretroviral drugs (compared with continuing or never taking antiretrovirals), physical symptoms, psychological symptoms, and poorer quality of life.

Being black, being a straight man, and keeping one’s HIV status a secret almost doubled the risk of thinking about suicide.

The researchers called for “emotional support and attention to mental health provision and social context”  to address the increased suicide risk in people with HIV.