title: Density of drinking establishments and HIV prevalence in a migrant town in Namibia.
abstract: Given the established link between alcohol consumption and risk taking behavior, it is plausible that neighborhoods with higher density of drinking establishments will be associated with increased prevalence of HIV. We conducted an ecological study comparing neighborhoods in Luderitz, Namibia, to evaluate this relationship. We observed increased prevalence of HIV comparing high densities of registered and unregistered shebeens, bars, and total number of drinking establishments, as compared with low densities, were associated with increased prevalence of HIV (PR = 3.02, 95% CI: 2.04-4.47; PR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.42-2.07; PR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.19-2.02). Our observation of increased prevalence associated with higher densities of drinking establishment's merits consideration.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health and Social Services, Lüderitz, Namibia. brooke.e.nichols@gmail.com
authors.forename: Brooke E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: Davies
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nkalamo
authors.forename: Brian W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Whitcomb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009276:Namibia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012147:Restaurants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012923:Social Class; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult