Effectiveness of friendship bench in alleviating anxiety and depression symptoms among people living with HIV and high-risk populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the Friendship Bench (FB) intervention’s efficacy in relieving anxiety and depression among people living with HIV (PLHIV) and high-risk populations, explored intervention effect heterogeneity, and provided evidence for mental health-HIV care integration in resource-limited areas. Multiple databases were searched from inception to July 19, 2025; 6 RCTs (2203 participants) were included for meta-analysis via Stata 16.0. The pooled SMD was – 0.57 (95% CI: -1.41 to 0.28, I²=98.7%); PLHIV-only analyses (n = 5) showed no significant effect (SMD = 0.12, 95% CI: -0.03 to 0.27, I²=0.0%). Measurement tools and population type were key sources of heterogeneity, with the DASS-21 subgroup yielding consistently non-significant results. Current evidence is insufficient to confirm FB’s effectiveness, emphasizing the need for rigorous large-scale RCTs with standardized outcome measures.

• Population(s)
  • General HIV+ population
• Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Other
• Health Systems
  • Delivery arrangements