Psychological distress experiences among patients living with HIV: a qualitative systematic review

BACKGROUND: HIV patients endure psychological distress throughout the phases of diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation, which considerably affects their quality of life. A thorough comprehension of patients’ psychological distress experiences is crucial for healthcare workers to devise focused solutions for enhanced care. This study aims to consolidate evidence concerning psychological distress in HIV patients and elucidate its sources and influencing factors. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. METHODS: A thorough literature review was performed across eight electronic databases from inception to June 2025.Qualitative studies were selected if pertinent to the psychological distress experiences of HIV patients. The quality of qualifying studies was assessed utilizing JBI qualitative research quality evaluation standard. The thematic synthesis method was utilized to amalgamate the findings. RESULTS: A total of 1583 studies were identified through database research, and 11 studies were incorporated into the review. Three analytical themes emerged from the findings: individual factors including disease diagnosis and emotional dilemma; environmental factors including economic hardship, social environment and limited access to health support; interpersonal factors including decline in marital intimacy and insufficient support from family and friends. CONCLUSION: Psychological distress is a subjective phenomenon influenced by the interaction of individual, environmental, and interpersonal factors, commonly seen in HIV patients. Effective therapeutic care requires understanding psychological distress prevalence and causes. Individualized, sustainable, and adaptive psychosocial care interventions should be taken to alleviate psychological distress, improve patients’ mental health and facilitate their reintegration into society.Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view, identifier CRD420251050269

• Epidemiology and Determinants of Health
  • Determinants of Health
• Determinants of Health
  • Income
  • Social support
  • Health services
  • Stigma/discrimination
  • Other
• Population(s)
  • General HIV+ population
• Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Other