Depression and Suicidality Most Reported Mental Health Problems in HIV-Positive African Adolescents

Adolescents living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa carry a substantial burden of mental health problems, yet summary data on this age group have remained limited, according to a scoping review that synthesized peer-reviewed evidence published between 2020 and 2026. The review, authored by Celumusa Ndlangamandla and Musa Mamba, focused specifically on young people aged 10 to 19 years. Earlier reviews, particularly systematic reviews, concentrated mainly on diagnosed disorders among adults or on broader populations of young people living with HIV, leaving substance use and emotional and behavioural symptoms understudied and often underreported in this population.

The researchers searched five electronic databases—PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, and Open Access for Africa—alongside Google Scholar, and screened the bibliographic references of selected articles for additional studies. Search terms were combined using Boolean operators and organized into four concept categories: HIV, age, mental health, and region. Eligible studies had to be original, peer-reviewed research published in English, conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, and reporting on mental health among adolescents living with HIV aged 10 to 19 years.

The search yielded 427 records, of which 29 duplicates were removed. Of the 398 articles screened, 317 were excluded at the abstract stage and a further 57 after full-text review, leaving 24 articles for inclusion. From the included studies, the review identified six common mental health problems among adolescents living with HIV in the region: depressive disorders and symptoms, generalized anxiety, suicidality, emotional and behavioural problems, posttraumatic stress, and substance use problems.

Depression and suicidality were the most frequently reported of these problems, whereas substance use, generalized anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and emotional and behavioural problems were reported less frequently in the existing literature. The review concludes that adolescents living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa experience a range of mental health problems that may affect their well-being and their engagement in HIV care. The authors state that routine mental health screening, prevention, and psychosocial support should be integrated into HIV care for this population, and that strengthening integrated mental health and HIV services may help address unmet needs and improve health outcomes among adolescents living with HIV in the region.

As a scoping review, the work describes the existing evidence landscape and its gaps rather than establishing new causal or clinical effects, and its findings are limited to original peer-reviewed studies published in English from sub-Saharan Africa within the specified period.

Subject of Research: Common mental health problems experienced by adolescents living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review

Article Title: Common mental health problems experienced by adolescents living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review

Article References: Ndlangamandla, C., & Mamba, M. (2026). Common mental health problems experienced by adolescents living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review. PLOS Global Public Health, 6(10), e0006832. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0006832

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0006832

Keywords: Common, mental, health, problems, experienced, adolescents, living, sub-Saharan, Africa, scoping, review, scientific research