What is it about?
Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are prevalent among people living with HIV (PLHIV), with 2–6 times higher than in the general population. These conditions are linked to increased morbidity and mortality among PLHIV and amplify sexual risk behaviors, thus exacerbating the transmission of HIV. Despite these negative consequences, a paucity of studies have explored this issue in Tanzania. This study aimed to determine AUD’s prevalence and associated factors among PLHIV attending Care and Treatment Centers.
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Why is it important?
This study reveals nearly one in three PLHIV has AUD, a finding consistent with many studies in low- to middle-income countries. Being male, treatment at primary and secondary health facilities, being divorced or widowed, having at least a secondary education, and having probable depression were associated with having probable AUD. These results highlight the necessity for policy refinement to enhance the integration of psychosocial services into HIV care and treatment clinics to facilitate the timely detection and management of AUD.
Perspectives
This article's findings underscore a pressing necessity for the immediate action of multidisciplinary stakeholders to refine policies to advocate for the enhancement of integration of psychosocial services such as screening and providing brief interventions for common mental disorders such as AUD at the CTCs in all levels of health care, as well as the referral of severe cases to higher levels of health facilities for specialized care.
Dr Florian Emanuel Ghaimo
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Prevalence and factors associated with alcohol use disorders among people living with HIV attending care and treatment centers at Kilimanjaro, Tanzania: A cross-sectional study, PLOS One, February 2025, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0318120.
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