Screening of Anxiety and Depression Related CD4 Count of People Living with HIV/AIDS with Anti-Retroviral in Medan, Indonesia

BACKGROUND: HIV, which causes AIDS, infects the immune system cells, by destroying or damaging the function of the CD4. PLWHA will have twice the risk of experiencing mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety compared with the general population, thereby suppressing immune function, decreasing their quality of life, decreasing the level of adherence to treatment, and contributing significantly to the occurrence of premature death. AIM: To determine the correlation Anxiety and Depression symptoms and CD4 levels in PLWHA who are undergoing Anti-Retroviral treatment at the HIV/AIDS METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional study, which assesses the correlation between Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores (HADS) and CD4 levels in PLWHA who are receiving ARV in the HIV/AIDS Special Services Polyclinic Medan Haji general hospital. RESULTS: It was found that the average HADS-A score, PLWHA was 15.286 and the SD ± 2.244. This shows that PLWHA is in moderate to severe anxiety and moderate to severe depression. The mean CD4 level of people with HIV/AIDS/PLWHA was 288.171 and SD ± 88.955. According to WHO criteria, regarding the classification of HIV immunodeficiency in adults, are classified as moderate immunodeficiency. There was a significant correlation between the HADS-A score and CD4 level with a correlation value of r = -0.592 indicating a negative correlation with a moderate correlation strength, and the correlation between HADS-D score and CD4 level. The strength of the relationship between HADS-D score and CD4 level is r = -0.650, shows a negative correlation with strong correlation strength. CONCLUSION: from this study, it was found that there is a relationship between depression and anxiety symptom and CD4 level.