Inclusion and exclusion criteria
depression, comorbidity, psychiatric disease
DISORDER
In this RCT, diagnosed patients having HIV/AIDS were recruited. The first eligibility criterion was that the enrolled participants must be registered with the ART clinic and must also be receiving ART regularly. Patients’ HIV/AIDs diagnosis was made on the basis of medical reports and evaluation. Participants who had initiated their treatment using ART and had completed all HIV/AIDS related medical evaluations, were recruited for this study. Participants were then assessed by our clinical psychologist. The further eligibility criteria were as follows: a) participants availing out-door patients’ facility with mean score of ≥ 5 on the PHQ-9 (at least having mild severity of depression or higher) and b) the participants were then cross-checked against set exclusion criteria, thereby excluding pregnant women, participants with substance use disorder, individuals with any physiological comorbidity, and individuals who were availing in-patient services. Participants with any other serious comorbidity (i.e., any other serious physiological or psychiatric disease except depression) were excluded from the study. Furthermore, individuals under the age of 20 and over the age of 55 years were also excluded from the study.