Recognizing suicide risk in consumers with HIV/AIDS

Mental health disorders and suicide occur in persons with HIV/AIDS at higher rates than the general population. Rehabilitation professionals need to be aware of risk factors for suicide in this population and should be prepared to manage situations involving potential suicide. For this study 71 individuals living with HIV/AIDS were interviewed using the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN). Rates of depressive symptoms and anxiety were found to be prevalent among the participants. Depressive symptoms and low life satisfaction were significantly associated with suicide risk.
An estimated one million people worldwide die each year because of suicide (Joiner, 2009) and suicide in people with chronic illness and disabilities is higher than that of the general [...]