Academic Appointments
- John Joska is a professor of psychiatry
- Head of the Division of Neuropsychiatry at Groote Schuur Hospital
- Director of the HIV Mental Health Research Unit in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the University of Cape Town.
Research Interests
My area of interest is HIV and the brain from a neurologic and behavioural point of view. I am specifically interested in how HIV might cause or aggravate cognitive disorders, how these conditions might be measured, and how they might be mitigated. As populations with HIV age, this will be a particular issue. Our Group has also researched several behavioural interventions in the context of HIV care engagement and ART adherence. We have expertise in developing and adapting interventions for depression, sexual trauma, and substance abuse.
Research Areas
Clinical Neuroscience • Cognitive & Behavioural Neuroscience
Contact Details
Selected Publications
Joska, J. A., Lee, J. S., Andersen, L. S., Stanton, A. M., O’ Clereigh, C., & Safren, S. (2023). “Trajectories of treatment response in a cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention for depression and adherence in persons with HIV in South Africa.” Journal of Affective Disorders, 343, 136–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.001
Lund, C., Breen, A., Flisher, A. J., Kakuma, R., Corrigall, J., Joska, J. A., Swartz, L., & Patel, V. (2010). Poverty and common mental disorders in low and middle income countries: A systematic review. Social Science & Medicine, 71(3), 517–528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.04.027
Joska, J. A., Westgarth-Taylor, J., Myer, L., Hoare, J., Thomas, K. G. F., Combrinck, M., Paul, R. H., Stein, D. J., & Flisher, A. J. (2011). Characterization of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders Among Individuals Starting Antiretroviral Therapy in South Africa. AIDS and Behavior, 15(6), 1197–1203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-010-9744-6
Sikkema, K.J., Rabie, S., King, A., Watt, M.H., Mulawa, M.I., Andersen, L.S., Wilson, P.A., Marais, A., Ndwandwa, E., Majokweni, S., Orrell, C., & Joska, J.A. ImpACT+, a coping intervention to improve clinical outcomes for women living with HIV and sexual trauma in South Africa: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2022;23(680). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06655-5