title: Associations between alcohol use disorders and adherence to antiretroviral treatment and quality of life amongst people living with HIV/AIDS.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We examined the association of alcohol use disorders (AUD) with adherence to and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes of antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV/AIDS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional multi-site survey was conducted in 468 drug users and 648 non-drug users (age: 35.4 ± 7.0 years; 63.8% male) in 3 epicentres of Vietnam. AUD, ART adherence, and HRQOL were measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption (AUDIT-C), the self-reported Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument (WHOQOL-HIV BREF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  35.0% of drug users were hazardous drinkers, compared to 25.9% of non-drug users. 22.3% of drug users engaged in binge drinking, and 25.9% reported suboptimal ART adherence. Adjusting for propensity scores of AUD, patients who had either at-risk or binge drinking behaviour were about twice as likely to be treatment non-adherent as those who did not have AUD. Hazardous drinkers reported small to medium decrements in the Performance, Physical, Social, Spirituality, and Environment quality of life domains. Binge drinkers had a slightly higher score in Social dimension.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AUD is prevalent and negatively affecting adherence to and HRQOL outcomes of ART services in injection-driven HIV epidemics. Screening and intervention are recommended for AUD, especially during the stable periods of ART. Other social and psychological interventions might also enhance patients' responses to and outcomes of ART in Vietnam.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam. bach@hmu.edu.vn.
authors.forename: Bach Xuan
authors.initials: BX
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Long Thanh
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Cuong Duy
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Do
authors.forename: Quyen Le
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Rachel Marie
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Maher
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055030:Drug Users; D058872:Epidemics; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D000431:Ethanol