Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: People diagnosed as being HIV positive or having AIDS develop depression as they attempt to cope with their daily lives. Some studies have indicated the prevalence of depression and anxiety in people living with HIV/AIDS is higher than in the general population. An evaluation of gender related factors that lead to depression after a diagnosis with HIV/AIDS will highlight the incidences and frequency of what individuals experience in their daily lives. The research is a descriptive study in which the factors that cause depression after HIV/AIDS diagnosis were identified and related to gender. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyse the responses elicited from the participants in the sample. Twenty five PLHAs who had been diagnosed with depression were selected from patients attending both Nthabiseng and Luthando Clinics at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg. A questionnaire was designed to gather demographic as well as information regarding family, social and economic history. A short interview was also conducted with selected patients to determine in their own words what causes their depression. The selected patient hospital charts were analysed to gain additional information to complete the equation. A semi structured interview was conducted with 13 selected health care professionals to gather information on how they see depression in the presence of HIV and whether they are adequately equipped to detect and manage this condition. The findings from this study supported the view depression is present or develops after a positive HIV diagnosis and a difference was detected in the causes of depression in women and that of men. Common causes of depression after HIV diagnosis were denial, fear of death and social insecurity. Women were more likely to attribute their depression to denial and worry about work and family responsibility. Men attributed their depression to failure to provide for their family and loss of social status. Recognising the causes of and gender differences in the causes of HIV-related depression may help in designing more effective counselling strategies and improve management and care of PLHAs. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is 'n aantal mense wat nie aan depressie ly voordat hulle met HIV gediagnoseer word nie. Meeste studies dui aan dat die voorkoms van depressie en angstigheid by mense wat lewe met MIV en VIGS heelwat hoër is as die algemene MIV populasie. Baie mense, insluitende gesondheidsorgwerkers, neem aan dat depressie 'n onontsnapbare newe-effek is van MIV/VIGS diagnose. Dus mag dit gebeur dat depressie ongesiens verby gaan, onbehandeld, met die gevolg van oneffektiewe behandeling, riskante optrede, swak bestuur van MIV/VIGS en 'n lae lewenskwaliteit vir hierdie pasiënte. Hierdie navorsingsartikel kyk na die geslags-verwante faktore wat lei tot depressie na die diagnosering van MIV/VIGS. Die navorsing is 'n beskrywende studie waarin faktore wat depressie in MIV/VIGS gediagnoseerde pasiënte veroorsaak identifiseer en gedifferensieer word afhangende van geslag. Kwantitatiewe asook kwalitatiewe metodes is gebruik. Dertig PLHAs wat met depressie gediagnoseer is, word behandel in Nthabiseng asook Luthando Kliniek by die Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospitaal in Soweto, Johannesburg. Nthabiseng is die MIV Kliniek en Luthando is die psigiatriese kliniek vir MIV/VIGS pasiënte. 'n Vraelys is saamgestel om demografiese asook familie, sosiologiese en ekonomiese inligting te verkry. 'n Kort onderhoud is ook met sommige pasiënte gehou om in hul eie woorde te hoor wat hul glo hul depressie veroorsaak. Die geselekteerde pasiënte se hospitaal kaarte is geanaliseer, met die doel om die dokter se insette of redes te kry oor die pasiënte se depressie. 'n Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoud was gedoen met gesondheidsorgwerkers in Luthando- en Nthabiseng klinieke om inligting te verkry oor hoe hierdie professionele gesondheidsorgwerkers depressie sien by MIV/VIGS pasiënte en of hul bevoegd is om dit te identifiseer en te behandel. Die studie het bevind dat daar 'n verskil is by oorsake van depressie by vroue en oorsake van depressie by mans. Mees algemene oorsake van depressie by MIV/VIGS pasiënte is ontkenning, vrees van dood en sosiale onstabiliteit. By die vroue het ontkenning en bekommernis oor werk- en familie verantwoordelikhede meestal bygedra tot hierdie depressie, en by die mans was dit meer asof daar 'n algemene terleurstelling geheers het in hul gemoed. 'n Terleurstelling deurdat hul nie vir hul families sal kan sorg nie asook die vernedering in die sosiale netwerk. Om die verskille in MIV-geassosieerde depressie gebasseer op geslag te kan herken mag bydra tot die ontwerp van meer effektiewe beradingstrategië.