AB100. Socioeconomic and health correlates of mental health outcomes among women with and without HIV in Mozambique: evidence from the 2022−2023 Demographic and Health Survey
Abstract

AB100. Socioeconomic and health correlates of mental health outcomes among women with and without HIV in Mozambique: evidence from the 2022−2023 Demographic and Health Survey

Nayantara Arora, Deirdre Hollingsworth, Ben Lambert, Charles Newton

Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Background: Mental health disorders are a growing public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, disproportionately affecting women, particularly those living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Mozambique. However, data on the determinants of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation in this population remain limited. This study assessed the association between socioeconomic and health-related factors and symptoms of depression, anxiety (Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), and suicidal ideation among reproductive-age women in Mozambique, stratified by HIV status.

Methods: We analyzed nationally representative data from the 2022–2023 Mozambique Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), including 9,301 women aged 15–49 years. Bivariate associations were assessed using Chi-squared and t-tests. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify correlates of mental health outcomes.

Results: Among 9,301 reproductive-age women in Mozambique, 6.5% reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms, 6.7% reported anxiety symptoms, and 2.2% endorsed suicidal ideation. HIV-positive women had a higher prevalence of all mental health symptoms compared to HIV-negative women. Poorer self-rated health, lower wealth, history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and experience of sexual violence were significantly associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. In multivariate models among HIV-positive women, younger age, lower wealth, poor self-reported health, and STI history were independently associated with higher odds of depression and anxiety. Suicidal ideation was predicted by experience of sexual violence and depressive symptom severity. Geographic disparities in mental health outcomes were also observed.

Conclusions: Mental health interventions in Mozambique should target socioeconomically disadvantaged women and integrate HIV care with mental health screening and support.

Keywords: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); anxiety; depression; mental health; sociodemographic; suicide

Footnote

Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Open Access Statement: This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits the noncommercial replication and distribution of the article with the strict proviso that no changes or edits are made and the original work is properly cited (including links to both the formal publication through the relevant DOI and the license). See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.

doi: 10.21037/jphe-26-ab100
Cite this abstract as: Arora N, Hollingsworth D, Lambert B, Newton C. AB100. Socioeconomic and health correlates of mental health outcomes among women with and without HIV in Mozambique: evidence from the 2022−2023 Demographic and Health Survey. J Public Health Emerg 2026;10:AB100.

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