The relationship between alcohol use and anxiety and retrospective attendance of primary care visits among women with human immunodeficiency virus

ABSTRACT

In this retrospective study, we sought to determine the associations between alcohol use and anxiety and RIC among WHIV. Alcohol use was assessed using the Timeline Follow-back to measure use over the 90 days preceding the interview. Anxiety symptoms scores, assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale- Anxiety Subscale (HADS-A). Primary care visits over twelve months prior to the interview were collected from clinic registration records. We used three logistic mixed models, adjusting for age, race, education, cocaine use, depression, viral load, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) status. Among 364 WHIV, mean attendance of primary care visits was 63.9%. Every one-day increase in drinking days (OR?=?0.99, 95% CI 0.99, 1.00) or heavy drinking days (OR?=?0.99, 95% CI 0.90, 1.00) was associated with decreased odds of attending primary care visits (P?=?0.02). Moderate/severe anxiety scores, compared to minimal anxiety scores, were associated with decreased odds of attending primary care visits (OR?=?0.69, 95% CI 0.50, 0.97). Cocaine use was associated with decreased odds of attending primary care visits (OR 0.56, 0.57). Our findings indicate that identifying and treating WHIV with alcohol use (especially heavy drinking), moderate/severe anxiety symptoms and/or cocaine use could potentially improve their RIC.