HIV Stigma and Unhealthy Alcohol Use Among People Living with HIV in Russia

Unhealthy alcohol use, highly prevalent in the Russian Federation (Russia), is associated with HIV risk behaviors among people living with HIV (PLWH). HIV stigma contributes to the HIV risk environment in Russia. To examine HIV stigma among Russian PLWH and to explore its association with unhealthy alcohol use, we conducted a longitudinal analysis of 700 PLWH in St. Petersburg, Russia. We assessed the association between alcohol dependence and HIV stigma measured at baseline and 12 months follow-up. Participants with alcohol dependence (n = 446) reported significantly higher HIV stigma scores over time than those without dependence (n = 254) (adjusted mean difference 0.60, 95% CI 0.03–1.17; p = 0.04). In secondary analyses, we examined recent risky alcohol use and did not detect an association with HIV stigma. Alcohol dependence is associated with high HIV stigma among Russian PLWH but the nature of the association is conjectural. HIV prevention efforts in Russia that address alcohol use disorders hold potential to mitigate HIV-related stigma and its possible adverse effects among PLWH.     

Substance Use and High-Risk Sex Among People with HIV: A Comparison Across Exposure Groups

Substance use is associated with increased risk for HIV transmission by HIV-positive people to uninfected partners through sexual contact. The largest risk groups for infection, men who have sex with men (MSM) and injecting drug users (IDUs), have high rates of substance use, but little is known about their substance use post-HIV diagnosis. We compared the prevalence of substance use between these two groups and a third group, heterosexual men and women, and tested for differential association between substance use and sexual behaviors across exposure groups in a national sample of patients in treatment for HIV. Substance use was most prevalent among MSM. Substance use and current dependence were associated with being sexually active among MSM but not IDUs; marijuana, alcohol, and hard drug use were most strongly associated with being sexually active among MSM. Whereas substance use predicted high-risk sex, there were few differences among exposure groups in these associations.     

Alcohol Use,HIV Treatment Adherence,and Sexual Risk Among People with a History of Injecting Drug Use in Vietnam

Alcohol use can limit the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV (PLH) who have a history of injecting drug use. This study described the patterns of alcohol use among PLH with a history of injecting drug use in Vietnam and examined the relationships between alcohol use, adherence to ART, and sexual risks. We utilized cross-sectional data of 109 PLH on ART collected from a randomized controlled intervention trial in Vietnam. Approximately 30 and 46% of the participants were frequent and occasional drinkers, respectively. Frequent drinkers reported the highest number of missed medication days. About 61% of frequent drinkers reported having sex after using alcohol. Additionally, 23, 34, and 24% of nondrinkers, occasional drinkers, and frequent drinkers, respectively, reported inconsistent condom use during sex. Future intervention programs should address the issues of alcohol use and sexual risks to maximize the effectiveness of HIV treatment programs in Vietnam.     

Alcohol and Bone Turnover Markers among People Living with HIV and Substance Use Disorder

Background

Although unhealthy alcohol use and low bone density are prevalent among people living with HIV (PLWH), it is not clear whether alcohol use is associated with bone turnover markers (BTMs), and if so, at what quantity and frequency. The study objective was to examine the association between alcohol and BTMs in PLWH with substance use disorder.

Methods

We studied a prospective cohort recruited from 2 HIV clinics who met criteria for DSM-IV substance dependence or reported ever injection drug use. Outcomes were BTM of (i) bone formation (serum procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide [P1NP]) and (ii) bone resorption (serum C-telopeptide type 1 collagen [CTx]). Alcohol consumption measures included (i) mean number of drinks/d (Timeline Follow-Back [TLFB]) (primary predictor), (ii) any alcohol use on ≥20 of the past 30 days, and phosphatidylethanol (PEth), a biomarker of recent alcohol consumption. Linear regression analysis examined associations between (i) each alcohol measure and each BTM and (ii) change in alcohol and change in BTM over 12 months.

Results

Among 198 participants, baseline characteristics were as follows: The median age was 50 years; 38% were female; 93% were prescribed antiretroviral medications; 13% had ≥20 drinking days/month; mean drinks/day was 1.93 (SD 3.89); change in mean drinks/day was −0.42 (SD 4.18); mean P1NP was 73.1 ng/ml (SD 34.5); and mean CTx was 0.36 ng/ml (SD 0.34). Higher drinks/day was significantly associated with lower P1NP (slope −1.09 ng/ml; 95% confidence interval [CI] −1.94, −0.23, per each additional drink). On average, those who drank on ≥ 20 days/month had lower P1NP (−15.45 ng/ml; 95% CI: −26.23, −4.67) than those who did not. Similarly, PEth level ≥ 8ng/ml was associated with lower P1NP. An increase in drinks/d was associated with a decrease in P1NP nonsignificantly (−1.14; 95% CI: −2.40, +0.12; p = 0.08, per each additional drink). No significant associations were detected between either alcohol measure and CTx.

Conclusions

In this sample of PLWH with substance use disorder, greater alcohol consumption was associated with lower serum levels of bone formation markers.

     

Durable Viral Suppression Among People with HIV and Problem Substance Use in the Era of Universal Antiretroviral Treatment

AIDS and Behavior - This study explored factors associated with durable viral suppression (DVS) among two groups of people living with HIV (PLWH) and problem substance use in the context of...     

Contribution of Substance Use Disorders on HIV Treatment Outcomes and Antiretroviral Medication Adherence Among HIV-Infected Persons Entering Jail

HIV and substance use are inextricably intertwined. One-sixth of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) transition through the correctional system annually. There is paucity of evidence on the impact of substance use disorders on HIV treatment engagement among jail detainees. We examined correlates of HIV treatment in the largest sample of PLWHA transitioning through jail in 10 US sites from 2007 to 2011. Cocaine, alcohol, cannabis, and heroin were the most commonly used substances. Drug use severity was negatively and independently correlated with three outcomes just before incarceration: (1) having an HIV care provider (AOR = 0.28; 95 % CI 0.09–0.89); (2) being prescribed antiretroviral therapy (AOR = 0.12; 95 % CI 0.04–0.35) and (3) high levels (>95 %) of antiretroviral medication adherence (AOR = 0.18; 95 % CI 0.05–0.62). Demographic, medical and psychiatric comorbidity, and social factors also contributed to poor outcomes. Evidence-based drug treatments that include multi-faceted interventions, including medication-assisted therapies, are urgently needed to effectively engage this vulnerable population.     

Awareness of Hepatitis C Diagnosis is Associated with Less Alcohol Use Among Persons Co-Infected with HIV

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE It is unknown whether testing HIV-infected individuals for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and informing them of their HCV status impacts subsequent alcohol use. We hypothesized that HIV-infected individuals with current or past alcohol problems who reported being told they had HCV were more likely to 1) abstain from alcohol and 2) not drink unhealthy amounts compared to individuals who had not been told. DESIGN, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEASUREMENTS Data from a prospective, observational cohort study (HIV-Longitudinal Interrelationships of Viruses and Ethanol) were used to assess the association between awareness of having HCV at baseline and subsequent abstinence and not drinking unhealthy amounts as reported at 6-month follow-up intervals. General estimating equations logistic regression was used to account for the correlation from using repeated observations from the same subject over time. We adjusted for age, sex, race, homelessness, injection drug use, depressive symptoms, and having abnormal liver tests. RESULTS Participants who reported being told they had HCV were more likely to report abstaining from alcohol (AOR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.27) and not drinking unhealthy amounts (AOR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.01 to 2.11). CONCLUSIONS Among patients infected with HIV who had a history of alcohol problems, reporting being told one had HCV was associated with greater abstinence from alcohol and less unhealthy amounts of drinking.     

Patient-Reported Bothersome Symptoms Attributed to Alcohol Use Among People With and Without HIV

AIDS and Behavior - Helping people with HIV (PWH) and without HIV (PWoH) understand the relationship between physical symptoms and alcohol use might help motivate them to decrease use. In surveys...     

Association Between Depression and Antiretroviral Therapy Use Among People Living with HIV: A Meta-analysis

Depression is common among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Studies on the relationship between depression and use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) are inconclusive. A meta-analysis was conducted to summarize the relationship between depression and ART use among PLHIV. Ten electronic databases, conference abstracts, and dissertations were searched. A random effects meta-analysis was performed to pool the odds ratio estimates from eligible studies. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were conducted for moderator analysis. Sensitivity analysis was performed to find influential studies. A funnel plot, the Egger test, and the trim and fill analysis were used to detect publication bias. The pooled sample size was 7375 PLHIV from nine eligible studies. The pooled prevalence of depression was 41% (95% confidence interval [CI] 29–53%). The pooled ART use rate was 52% (95% CI 37–67%). PLHIV with depression were 14% less likely (pooled odds ratio [OR] = 0.86; 95% CI 0.71–1.05) to use ART than those without depression. Subgroup analyses showed that depression was significantly associated with no ART use (pooled OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.71–0.99) among studies with a prospective study design (11 estimates from nine studies). Moderator analyses did not show any statistically significant effects. The publication bias analyses showed small study effects may not exist. Depression was associated with non-use of ART among PLHIV. Studies are needed to explore this association in other countries with varied populations, as most published studies have been conducted in the United States.     

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Hazardous Alcohol Use Among Persons Living with HIV Across the US in the Current Era of Antiretroviral Treatment

Hazardous alcohol use is associated with detrimental health outcomes among persons living with HIV (PLWH). We examined the prevalence and factors associated with hazardous alcohol use in the current era using several hazardous drinking definitions and binge drinking defined as ≥5 drinks for men versus ≥4 for women. We included 8567 PLWH from 7 U.S. sites from 2013 to 2015. Current hazardous alcohol use was reported by 27% and 34% reported binge drinking. In adjusted analyses, current and past cocaine/crack (odd ratio [OR] 4.1:3.3–5.1, p < 0.001 and OR 1.3:1.1–1.5, p < 0.001 respectively), marijuana (OR 2.5:2.2–2.9, p < 0.001 and OR 1.4:1.2–1.6, p < 0.001), and cigarette use (OR 1.4:1.2–1.6, p < 0.001 and OR 1.3:1.2–1.5, p < 0.001) were associated with increased hazardous alcohol use. The prevalence of hazardous alcohol use remains high in the current era, particularly among younger men. Routine screening and targeted interventions for hazardous alcohol use, potentially bundled with interventions for other drugs, remain a key aspect of HIV care.     

Alcohol Use and Food Insecurity Among People Living with HIV in Mbarara,Uganda and St. Petersburg,Russia

Food insecurity (FI) is a documented problem associated with adverse health outcomes among HIV-infected populations. Little is known about the relationship between alcohol use and FI. We assessed whether heavy alcohol use was associated with FI among HIV-infected, antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve cohorts in Uganda and Russia. Inverse probability of treatment weighted logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association using cross-sectional baseline data. FI was experienced by half of the Russia cohort (52 %) and by a large majority of the Uganda cohort (84 %). We did not detect an association between heavy alcohol use and FI in either cohort (Russia: AOR = 0.80, 95 % CI 0.46, 1.40; Uganda: AOR = 1.00, 95 % CI 0.57, 1.74) or based on the overall combined estimate (AOR = 0.89, 95 % CI 0.60, 1.33). Future studies should explore the determinants of FI in HIV-infected populations to inform strategies for its mitigation.     

Depression and CD4 Cell Count Among Persons with HIV Infection in Uganda

This paper presents data from a brief, anonymous, open-ended survey of 50 behavioral research experts in HIV prevention. Responses were received from 31 participants who provided input regarding the primary reasons they believe the rate of the HIV epidemic in the United States has persisted in recent years, and how they believe we can most efficiently decrease the current rate of new HIV infections in the United States. Four clusters of reasons suggested for the persistent rate of new infections: Intervention level reasons, Society level reasons, Person level reasons, and Multiple Risk Factor reasons. Three clusters of strategies suggested for decreasing the current rate: Improved Targeting of HIV Prevention efforts, Larg-Scale Changes to HIV prevention, and Integrating HIV Prevention into more aspects of society. Results are reviewed with the objective of providing a fresh perspective on the potential means for addressing the current HIV epidemic. Electronic supplementary material Electronic supplementary material is available for this article at and accessible for authorised users.     

HIV Stigma and Substance Use Among HIV-Positive Russians with Risky Drinking

The link between HIV stigma with substance use is understudied. We characterized individuals with high HIV stigma and examined whether HIV stigma contributes to substance use among HIV-positive Russians reporting risky alcohol use. We analyzed data from HERMITAGE, a randomized controlled trial of 700 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) with past 6-month risky sex and risky alcohol use in St. Petersburg, Russia (2007–2011). Participants who were female and reported depressive symptoms and lower social support were more likely to endorse high HIV stigma (all p’s < 0.001). In adjusted models, high HIV stigma was not significantly associated with the primary outcome unhealthy substance use and was not consistently associated with secondary substance use outcomes. Interventions to enhance social and mental health support for PLWHA, particularly women, may reduce stigma, though such reductions may not correspond to substantial decreases in substance use among this population.