Mental health and well-being interventions, programmes and models
Gracia Valeska Simanullang, Judith Levy
Accepted as Poster exhibition in AIDS 2026, the 26th International AIDS Conference at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 26-31 July 2026. PPH UAJ participated virtually.
Background
Adolescents Living with HIV (ALWH) face complex psychosocial and behavioral challenges related to managing HIV as a chronic and highly stigmatized condition. These challenges may increase vulnerability to emotional distress, including anxiety.
Despite growing recognition of mental health as integral to HIV care, evidence on anxiety among ALWH in low- and middle-income countries, including Indonesia, remains limited.
This study examines the prevalence of general anxiety symptoms among ALWH in Indonesia and identifies associated psychosocial factors relevant for adolescent HIV programming.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 143 ALWH aged 13–18 years across seven Indonesian cities.
Participants were aware of their HIV status and were recruited through local HIV-focused non-governmental organizations. General anxiety symptoms were assessed through face-to-face interviews using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7).
Independent variables included gender, mode of HIV acquisition, illness perception, internalized stigma, perceived social support, and interpersonal relationships. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with anxiety symptoms.
Results
Participants had a mean age of 15.9 years, and 55.9% were girls.
Approximately 75% of participants reported symptoms of general anxiety within the previous two weeks. Girls reported nearly twice the level of anxiety symptoms than boys. The most frequently reported symptoms included excessive worrying, fear that something terrible might happen, and irritability. Adolescents who acquired HIV during adolescence were more likely to report excessive worry compared with those infected perinatally.
In multivariate analysis, being female, acquiring HIV through risky behaviors, perceiving HIV as threatening, and having had a romantic relationship were significantly associated with higher anxiety symptoms.
Conclusions
This study is among the first in Indonesia to document a high burden of anxiety among ALWH and to identify key psychosocial correlates. The findings highlight the urgent need for culturally tailored mental health services for this population.
HIV programs for ALWH should integrate routine mental health screening; address negative illness perceptions, gender-related vulnerabilities, relationship stressors; strengthen psychological and social support, and promote effective coping strategies and resilience to reduce anxiety and improve wellbeing among ALWH in similar low-resource settings.
Disclosure: Generative AI is used to design this poster. Writing, including substantive content, editing, proofreading, as well as poster layout are not generated by AI. Final content is edited, managed, and reviewed by human.