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Introduction: people with HIV/AIDS have higher rates of suicidal ideation than the general population. Consequently, HIV counselling settings should implement suicide risk reduction initiatives. Physical activity (PA) counselling could be a relevant add-on intervention. The aim of this secondary analysis from a single-arm pre- and post-study exploring the efficacy of PA counselling for HIV/AIDS patients with mental health problems was to investigate the efficacy of PA counselling on reducing suicidal ideation. Methods: out of 41 participants in an 8-week PA counselling intervention, 15 participants reported suicidal ideation. These 15 (15 ♀, median age=42 years, interquartile range=24 years) participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test - 10 (AUDIT-10), and the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ) pre- and immediately post-intervention. Results: the prevalence of suicidal ideation (PHQ-9 item 9≥1) dropped to 20% post-intervention, i.e. only three patients with HIV still reported suicidal ideation. Also, following the intervention significant (P<0.05) increases in walking and incidental PA (SIMPAQ) levels, and reductions in depressive and alcohol abuse symptoms were observed. Conclusion: our data demonstrate that PA counselling might be promising in reducing suicidal ideation in most HIV patients in low-resourced settings. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these beneficial findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to develop adequate public health interventions, there is a need to explore whether people with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) not requiring inpatient treatment do have compromised physical health and are consequently a population at risk. We cross-sectionally compared physical fitness and physical activity levels in community patients with an AUD with healthy matched controls in Uganda. Fifty community patients (42 men, median age=32.0 years, interquartile range=10.7 years) and 50 age-, gender- and body mass index-matched controls performed a 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and completed the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ). Differences between groups were assessed with a t-test or Mann Whitney U test when appropriate. Community patients with AUD have significantly lower 6MWT [median=480.0 (interquartile range=109) versus 802.5 (121.2) m, P<0.001], SIMPAQ walking [0 (30.0) min/day versus 35.0 (17.4) min/day, P<0.001], SIMPAQ exercise [0 (1.5) min/day versus 0 (2.5) min/day, P<0.001], and SIMPAQ incidental physical activity [30.0 (50.0) min/day versus 300.0 (315.0) min/day, P<0.001]. A reduced physical fitness and physical inactivity should be considered and assessed in early interventions targeting community patients with AUDs. If left untreated, both might also emerge as important modifiable risk factors for somatic co-morbidity in this population-at-risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]