Trajectories of depressive symptoms in young and middle-aged men who have sex with men with new HIV-diagnosis: a 1-year prospective cohort study in Beijing, China

INTRODUCTION: Due to the sexual orientation and HIV diagnosis, young and middle-aged men who have sex with men (MSM) with new HIV-diagnosis may experience more depressive syndromes and face greater psychological stress. The study explored trajectories of depressive symptoms of young and middle-aged MSM within 1 year after new HIV-diagnosis and analyze the related factors. METHODS: From January 2021 to March 2021, 372 young and middle-aged MSM who were newly diagnosed as HIV-infection were recruited in two hospitals in Beijing. Self-rating Depression Scale was used to measure the participants’ depressive symptom in 1st month, 3rd month, 6th month, 9th month and 12th month after HIV diagnosis. The latent class growth model was used to identify trajectories of the participants’ depressive symptoms. Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyse factors related with the trajectories. RESULTS: Three hundred and twenty-eight young and middle-aged MSM with new HIV-diagnosis completed the research. Depressive symptom in 328 young and middle-aged MSM was divided into three latent categories: non-depression group (56.4%), chronic-mild depression group (28.1%), and persistent moderate–severe depression group (15.5%). The participants assessed as non-depression (non-depression group) or mild depression (chronic-mild depression group) at the baseline were in a non-depression state or had a downward trend within one-year, and the participants assessed as moderate and severe depression (persistent moderate–severe depression group) at the time of diagnosis were in a depression state continuously within 1-year. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that, compared with the non-depression group, monthly income of 5,000 ~ 10,000 RMB (equal to 690 ~ 1,380 USD) was the risk factor for the chronic-mild depression group, and self-rating status being fair/good and self-disclosure of HIV infection were protective factors for the persistent moderate–severe depression group while HIV-related symptoms was the risk factor. CONCLUSION: Depressive symptoms in young and middle-aged MSM is divided into three latent categories. Extra care must be given to young and middle-aged MSM assessed as moderate or severe depression at the time of HIV-diagnosis, especially to those who had poor self-rating health status, did not tell others about their HIV-infection and experienced HIV-related symptoms.