# The relationship between HIV infection and depression and their determinants in the MSM population in Eastern China: an analysis based on decision tree modelling and logistic regression

## TL;DR

This study examines how depression and HIV are linked in China's MSM population, finding that marital status, age, and employment are key factors.

## Contribution

The novel use of decision tree modeling combined with logistic regression to assess depression and HIV correlations in the MSM population.

## Key findings

- Depression prevalence was 28.9% among MSM participants.
- HIV-positive MSM had a higher depression rate (44.4%) compared to HIV-negative individuals (26.3%).
- Marital status, age, and employment status were identified as significant factors influencing depression.

## Abstract

This study aims to investigate the depression status of the MSM population, explore the depression characteristics associated with different HIV statuses within this group, and determine the key factors influencing depression in this population.

This was a cross-sectional web-based survey.

This study was conducted through a web-based comprehensive HIV service platform for the MSM population. The questionnaire included basic socio-demographic information of the respondents, HIV-related information and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). A decision tree model combined with logistic regression was used to assess the factors influencing depression in the MSM population.

Among the 1070 MSM in this study, the depression prevalence was 28.9%, the overall HIV prevalence among MSM was 3.4%, the depression prevalence among HIV-positive MSM was 44.4%, and that among HIV-negative MSM was 26.3%. Decision tree modelling combined with logistic regression analysis showed that marital status, age and employment status were the factors significantly influencing depression in the MSM population.

The prevalence of depression is high in the MSM population. Marital status, age and employment status are influential factors for depression in the MSM population. Decision tree modelling combined with logistic regression could be considered as an assessment tool for the relationship between HIV infection and depression and their correlates in the MSM population.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-025-03881-9.