Introduction: People living with HIV infection are more luckily to experience mental health issues than their pairs HIV negative. High prevalence of depression has been reported among people living with HIV in Africa varies from 12% to 60%. Furthermore, little is known about the mental health status of adolescents living with HIV. In 2014,the World Health Organization’s global adolescent health report revealed that depression was the leading cause of
illness and disability among adolescents. In most cases, painful life experience explains mental health disorders.
Objectives: The objective was to describe the psychological experience and depression in Adolescents Living With HIV (ALHIV) in the pediatric departments of CHU Yalgado Ouedraogo (CHUYO) and Saint Camille Hospital (HOSCO ), Ouagadougou.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was done, based on a survey and analysis of ALHIV medical records in pediatric wards at CHUYO and HOSCO from 4th November to 17th December 2020.
Results: A total of 100 adolescents were included. Among them 55% were females; sex ratio=0.88. The mean age was 15.9 years (extremes 10 and 17 years). A quarter of adolescents (22%) dropped out of school. The feeling of being different from their uninfected peers was noted in 43%. The mean age of adolescents at the disclosure of HIV serostatus was 13.5 years. Depression was noted in 59% of them. Depression was significantly associated with
the place of residence (p-value=0.03), having friends (p-value=0.02), and the profile of the caregiver (p-value=0.001).
Conclusion: A considerable large number of adolescents living with HIV have depression. Most of them have a difficult life experience. Specific interventions are needed to alleviate depression, considering its impact in these adolescents.

HIV; Adolescence; Depression; Mental health; Infection