Higher Rates of HIV Diagnoses Found Amongst Mental Health Service Users: New National Institute for Health and Care Research Maudsley BRC Supported Study in South London

A recently published study with support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Maudsley BRC has found that mental health service users have a higher rate of HIV diagnoses than the general population in South London. Researchers from King’s College London found that HIV is 2.5 times more prevalent among mental health service users, with 24.7 people out of 1,000 being diagnosed with the condition. The study also found that people with mental health issues often received worse physical healthcare than the general population, and that healthcare workers had poor knowledge of sexual health, suggesting the need for integrated care between HIV and mental health services. The study was published in BMJ Open.