Achieving UNAIDS’s 90-90-90 Goal Requires Addressing Mental Health In Young People Living With HIV

SciDev.Net: The HIV epidemic will not end unless we prioritize youth mental health
Melanie Abas, associate professor (reader) in global mental health at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London

“…The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day was Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World. Young people living with HIV face high levels of stigmatization, and fear of peer-rejection is at peak in this age group. … [P]sychiatric care for young people at risk of acquiring, or already living with, HIV must improve. … Mental health specialists could advocate for testing programs that address such fears and increase understanding. … Having a cadre of community workers in poor countries could be a game changer in widening access to mental health care. … Global mental health specialists could also urge governments, NGOs, and the pharmaceutical industry to roll out modern drug treatments for those with severe mental disorders. … UNAIDS has the 90-90-90 goal. … These goals can only be achieved if mental health specialists are contributing to sustainable, culturally appropriate health care programs” (10/22).

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