Psychiatric comorbidity among hospitalized AIDS patients vs. non-AIDS patients referred for psychiatric consultation.

Data were collected on 3,420 psychiatric consultations from July 1, 1989, to January 1, 1994, of which 675 were for patients identified as infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Comparisons of psychiatric comorbidity among persons with AIDS (PWAs), HIV+ asymptomatic patients, and non-HIV patients were made. Dementia was a significantly frequent comorbid diagnosis among the referred PWAs compared with the general consultation population and was related to older age.