Introduction:
Depression in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients is a prevalent mental health condition, which can lead to adverse impacts on their quality of life, treatment adherence, and clinical outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors associated with depression in HIV patients, with a particular focus on demographic, clinical, social, and psycho-social characteristics. Previous research has identified several risk factors for depression, such as age, sex, lower education level, and social isolation; however, these are not well understood. This study aimed to further explore the risk factors and their implications for HIV patients with depression.

Material and methods:
This cross-sectional study used data of 338 HIV-infected patients on demographic, clinical, and psycho-social factors, including marital status, family type, family size, alcohol consumption, and information on duration of HIV infection and receipt of HIV treatment. Data on 36 variables were collected between July and December 2020 in Bangladesh. Depression outcome was assessed using Beck's depression inventory questionnaire, while ordinal logistic regression model was applied for data analysis.

Results:
The study showed that occupation (p = 0.0267), religion (p = 0.0009), type of family (p ≤ 0.0001), monthly income (p = 0.0023), and drug abuse (p = 0.0128) were statistically significant risk factors for depression, with other variables adjusted.

Conclusions:
Certain occupational, religious, and family categories as well as low monthly income and a history of drug abuse are associated with a higher risk of depression. Identifying and understanding these risk factors can help healthcare providers identify patients at higher risk and provide appropriate interventions to manage their mental health effectively.