Prevalence and factors associated with mental health problems among adolescents living with HIV as screened by youth peers in rural Uganda: A cross-sectional study

Adolescents living with HIV face numerous psychosocial challenges that increase their vulnerability to mental health problems. However, limited evidence exists on the prevalence and contributing factors among this population in the Teso region of Uganda. This study assessed the prevalence of mental health problems and associated factors among adolescents living with HIV in the Teso region. A cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents aged 10–19 years receiving HIV care in selected high-volume health facilities in the Teso region. Data were collected using the Home, Education/Employment, Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/Depression psychosocial assessment tool (HEADSS tool), uploaded onto Kobo Collect for digital data collection. The data were exported to Microsoft Excel, cleaned, and analyzed using STATA version 17. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize sociodemographic characteristics and estimate the prevalence of mental health problems. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with mental health problems. The prevalence of mental health problems was 35.2%, with suicidal tendencies being the most common (31%). Factors significantly associated with mental health problems included staying with one parent (AOR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.55-0.92; p = 0.001) and not working (AOR = 4.4; 95% CI: 1.66–11.62; p = 0.03). Mental health problems are prevalent among adolescents living with HIV in the Teso region. Supportive living arrangements were protective, while employment was associated with increased risk. Peer-led screening can aid early identification, emphasizing the need to integrate mental health services into adolescent HIV care, strengthen family and caregiver support.