Associations between alcohol misuse and risks for HIV infection among men who have multiple female sexual partners in Cape Town, South Africa

Bibliographic Data

ID19442834
AuthorsLoraine Townsend (a Health Systems Research Unit , Medical Research Council , Cape Town , South Africa, corresponding author), Samantha R Rosenthal (0000-0001-6719-1700, b Department of Community Health, International Health Institute , Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University , Providence , RI , USA), Charles D H Parry (c Alcohol & Drug Abuse Research Unit , Medical Research Council , Cape Town , South Africa), Charles Parry (0000-0001-9787-2785, Stellenbosch University), Yanga Zembe (a Health Systems Research Unit , Medical Research Council , Cape Town , South Africa), Catherine Mathews (0000-0001-5368-1127, a Health Systems Research Unit , Medical Research Council , Cape Town , South Africa), Alan J Flisher (University of Cape Town)
Year2010
Volume22
Issue12
Pages1544-1554
Publication date2010-12-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAIDS Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0954-0121 • E-ISSN: 1360-0451
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09540121.2010.482128
PMID20824551
OpenAlexW2090417357
LanguageEN
Citations received14
References cited23

The occurrence of high rates of alcohol consumption in a context of high HIV prevalence in South Africa poses a significant health challenge for this country. This paper aims to answer three questions that could further our knowledge regarding the links between alcohol use and HIV infection: (a) "Are problem drinkers more likely to have multiple concurrent partners than those who are not?"; (b) "Are condoms applied less effectively and less consistently by problem drinkers compared to those who are not?"; (c) "Are the female sexual partners of problem drinkers different from those who are not?" Two cross-sectional HIV bio-behavioural surveillance surveys using Respondent-Driven Sampling were conducted in two peri-urban settings on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa. Eight hundred and forty-eight men aged 25-55 years who have multiple, concurrent female sexual partners were recruited. Problem drinkers had a score of ≥3 on the CAGE questionnaire. Questions enquired about partner numbers, condom use and partner traits. Multivariate logistic regression models were developed to determine significant associations between outcome variables and problem drinking. Fifty-eight percent of men were problem drinkers. Compared to non-problem drinkers, problem drinkers were significantly more likely to report having any symptom of a STI; not using condoms due to drinking; inconsistent condom use with all partner types; that their most recent once-off partner was unemployed; having met their most recent partner at an alcohol-serving venue; and having had a once-off sexual relationship. Alcohol may fuel once-off sexual encounters, often characterised by transactional sex and women's limited authority to negotiate sex and condom use; factors that can facilitate transmission of HIV. HIV prevention interventions specifically targeting drinkers, the contexts in which problem drinking occurs and multiple sexual partnering are urgently needed

Condom · Environmental health · Family medicine · Geography · Gonorrhea · Logistic regression · Population · Respondent · Risky sexual behavior · Sexual intercourse · Sexual partner · Syphilis · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Demography · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine