Mental illness and HIV are frequently comorbid. Research has revealed high rates of depression, dysthymic disorder, and anxiety disorders among people with HIV seeking mental health services. Given the challenging treatment regimens for patients on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), providing access to mental health services for HIV patients with mild to severe mental illness is paramount. For this reason, management of mental illness among people with HIV infection — and management of HIV infection among people with mental illness — must be a focus of HIV care.

A complete mental health screening in HIV primary care should include the following elements: cognitive function assessment, screening for depression and anxiety, sleeping and appetite assessment, and review of psychiatric history.

Formula:  The number of patients/clients with at least one HIV primary care visit in the past 12 months who had a complete, documented mental health screen in the past 12 months. Divide by the number of patients with at least one HIV primary care visit in the past 12 months. Multiply by 100 to calculate percent.

Increase the total percentage of patients/clients receiving an annual complete, documented mental health screen to 90 percent.

Assess data monthly (or at the frequency established for your quality improvement effort). Identify your sample (patients who had at least one HIV primary care visit in the previous 12 months). From this sample, count the number of individuals with a complete, documented mental health screen in the past 12 months. Divide by the total number of patients in the sample with at least one primary care visit in the past 12 months. Multiply by 100 to calculate percent.

The National HIVQUAL Project’s Minimum Sample Table will help you determine the number of records to include in your sample. The Research Randomizer can generate a random number series to help you select which records to review.