Purpose: This study aims to describe the social-relational context of adolescents and young adults living with (AYALHIV) and without HIV (AYAHIV-) in the city of Beira (Mozambique) and to assess how it can impact their mental health.

Methods: A cross-sectional study with three-level assessment was conducted between July and August 2023. Socio-economic factors were assessed through an ad-hoc questionnaire, mental health through symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), and social-relational networks using social network analysis (SNA). SNA parameters included were: average degree centrality, closeness centrality, betweenness centrality, eigenvector centrality and transitivity. Robust linear regression model was used to assess association between SNA parameters and SCL-90 scores.

Results: AYAs involved were 352 (F: 50.7%) and 341 (96.9%) completed both sociogram and SCL-90. Average degree centrality was 1.44 (SD 0.77) for supportive networks (supSN) and 0.49 (SD 0.39) for stressful ones (strSN). The average degree centrality was higher in AYAHIV- compared to AYALHIV (0.009). Supportive edges occurred more often between the individual and their mother (65.1%), while stressful edges between one (24.3%) or two (18.8%) neighbourhood people. The supSN betweenness was 0.27 (SD 0.24) in females and was significantly lower compared to males (0.33, SD 0.27, p = 0.017). The mean score at the SCL-90 was 1.1 (SD 0.5). An increase in 1 SD of the average degree centrality of the supSN was associated with a decrease of 0.14 SD at the SCL-90 (p = 0.014). The SCL-90 score was significantly lower in males (p = 0.045) and in AYAs from the high socio-economic group (p = 0.009).

Conclusion: Two groups proved to be more vulnerable with regard to socio-relational networks, women and AYALHIV. Better interconnected social support networks were associated with better mental health (i.e. lower scores on the SCL-90). Improving support within the community is therefore important for achieving better mental well-being for all.

Keywords: Adolescents; Africa; HIV; Mental Health; Mozambique; Social Network Analysis.

© 2025. The Author(s).

目的：本研究旨在描述莫桑比克贝拉市青少年和年轻人（AYA）中感染（AYALHIV）和未感染艾滋病病毒（AYAHIV-）者的社会关系背景，并评估其对精神健康的影响。

方法：一项横断面研究于2023年7月至8月期间进行，采用三级评估。通过定制问卷调查了经济社会因素，使用症状检查表90（SCL-90）评估心理健康，并运用社会网络分析（SNA）评估社会关系网。SNA参数包括平均度中心性、接近中心性、介数中心性、特征向量中心性和传递性。使用稳健线性回归模型来评估SNA参数与SCL-90评分之间的关联。

结果：研究涉及352名AYA（女性占50.7%），其中341人完成了社会图表和SCL-90。支持性网络的平均度中心性为1.44（标准差0.77），而压力性网络的平均度中心性则为0.49（标准差0.39）。与AYALHIV相比，AYAHIV-群体在平均度中心性方面更高（0.009）。支持性的联系更常发生在个体与其母亲之间（65.1%），而压力性的联系则主要发生在一个或两个邻居之间（分别为24.3%和18.8%）。女性的supSN介数为0.27（标准差0.24），显著低于男性（0.33，标准差0.27，p = 0.017）。SCL-90平均得分为1.1（标准差0.5）。支持性网络（supSN）的平均度中心性每增加一个标准差，则SCL-90评分降低0.14个标准差（p = 0.014）。男性和来自高经济社会群体的AYA的SCL-90得分显著较低（分别为p = 0.045和p = 0.009）。

结论：两个群体在社会关系网络方面表现出更高的脆弱性，即女性和AYALHIV。更紧密互联的社会支持网络与更好的心理健康（SCL-90得分较低）相关联。因此，在社区内改善支持对于所有人的精神健康状况至关重要。

关键词：青少年；非洲；艾滋病病毒；心理健康；莫桑比克；社会网络分析。

© 2025. The Author(s).