Alcohol use can negatively impact adherence to antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS treatment and success of the treatment. Persistent alcohol use can lead to a chaotic lifestyle and issues like depression, antisocial personality disorder, and emotional circumstances, which are desirable to address before commencing therapy. Alcohol use also impairs liver function and should be avoided in individuals with Hepatitis C. A study found that 28% of a sample reported weekly intoxication from alcohol, which was associated with older age, marital status, sexual behaviors and tobacco use.

1. Alcohol use and
HIV/AIDS treatment

2. Is use of alcohol
associated with
decreased or
increased risk of
transmission of
HIV infection?

3. What is the role of alcohol
use in adherence?
Adherence to antiretroviral therapy is vital for the
success of the treatment. This is influenced by
persistent alcohol use.

4. Lifestyle instability: Alcohol users lead a chaotic
lifestyle and instability is accentuated by the
following:
co-morbid disorders like depression
antisocial personality disorder
patterns of use
levels of drug dependence
emotional and income circumstances
It is desirable to deal with these issues before
commencing the therapy.

5. Alcohol use affects liver
Alcohol use impairs liver function and should
be completely avoided in Hepatitis C infected
individuals.

6. Intimate Partner violence

7. Associations
Twenty-eight percent of the sample (n = 58)
reported using alcohol at least weekly to the
point of being buzzed/intoxicated, which was
associated with older age, being married to a
woman, being panthi (masculine appearing,
predominantly insertive partners) versus kothi
(feminine acting/appearing and predominantly
receptive partners), weekly tobacco use,
unprotected anal sex and unprotected vaginal
sex in the three months prior to study enrolment
(all P < 0.05).

8. Thanks