---
title: >-
  Estimating the Effect of Depression on HIV Transmission Risk Behaviors Among
  People Who Inject Drugs in Vietnam: A Causal Approach.
description: >-
  Explore this publication on real-world evidence: Estimating the Effect of
  Depression on HIV Transmission Risk Behaviors Among People Who Inject Drugs
  in…
date: '2020-01-01'
category: Publications
tags:
  - Sara N. Levintow
  - HIV
  - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  - Approval & Commercialization
  - 'Yes'
  - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
  - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  - Oral Presentation
  - UNC Project Vietnam
  - R&D
canonical_url: >-
  https://www.headwaterscience.com/resources/publications/author-sara-n-levintow/estimating-the-effect-of-depression-on-hiv-transmission/
source: Headwater
license: © 2026 Headwater. All rights reserved.
slug: estimating-the-effect-of-depression-on-hiv-transmission
id: 3GhGizO6afEL9i4LgeaZvI
contentType: article
---

## Challenge

Among people who inject drugs in Vietnam—where depression is highly prevalent and HIV incidence remains elevated—the causal effect of depression on injection equipment sharing and sexual risk behaviors had not been estimated using modern causal inference methods.

## Solution

Target RWE researchers and UNC/CDC collaborators applied marginal structural models and causal inference methods to longitudinal data from 455 PWID living with HIV in Vietnam to estimate the causal effect of depressive symptoms on risk behaviors over time.

## Use Cases/Links

[Read the publication](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10461-020-03007-9)