Am J Psychiatry 1997; 154:864-866
Copyright © 1997 by American Psychiatric Association
HIV infection among young adults with psychotic disorders
E Susser, P Colson, L Jandorf, A Berkman, J Lavelle, S Fennig, C Waniek and E Bromet
HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA.
OBJECTIVE: The authors examined HIV infection among young adults with newly
diagnosed psychotic disorders. METHODS: The study was based on a research
cohort of 320 first-admission patients aged 20-39 years in a
semirural-suburban county. Research assessments and medical records were
systematically reviewed for information about HIV status. RESULTS: Despite
the fact that few patients were tested for HIV, 12 (3.8%) of the 320
patients had a known HIV infection. In all 12 cases, the HIV infection was
contracted before the onset of psychosis. AIDS was the leading cause of
mortality in the 320 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The HIV epidemic may be having
an important effect on the etiology and the course of psychotic disorders.
