title: Patterns of alcohol use and sexual behaviors among current drinkers in Cape Town, South Africa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the association between alcohol use and sexual behaviors among South African adults who reported current drinking.
  
  
  METHODS
  Street-intercept surveys were administered to adults residing in neighborhoods in a South African township.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses were restricted to participants reporting current drinking (N=1285; mean age=32; 27% women; 98% Black). Most participants (60%) reported heavy episodic drinking (i.e., 5 or more drinks on a single occasion) at least once per week in the past 30 days. Compared to non-heavy episodic drinkers, participants who reported heavy episodic drinking were more likely to drink before sex (79% vs. 66%) and have sex with a partner who had been drinking (59% vs. 44%). Overall, drinking before sex (self or partner) and heavy episodic drinking was associated with multiple sexual partners, discussing condom use with sexual partner(s), and proportion of protected sex. The frequency of condom use varied among participants with steady, casual, or both steady and casual sexual partners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcohol use among South African adults is associated with sexual risk behaviors, but this association differs by partner type. Findings suggest the need to strengthen alcohol use components in sexual risk reduction interventions especially for participants with both steady and casual sex partners.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA. lori_scott-shedon@brown.edu
authors.forename: Lori A J
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Scott-Sheldon
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.forename: Kate B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.forename: Demetria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cain
authors.forename: Ofer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Harel
authors.forename: Vuyelwa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mehlomakulu
authors.forename: Kelvin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mwaba
authors.forename: Leickness C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Simbayi
authors.forename: Seth C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kalichman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult