title: Alcohol Drinking Pattern: A Comparison between HIV-Infected Patients and Individuals from the General Population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol consumption is highly prevalent in the general population and among HIV-infected population. This study aimed to compare the pattern of alcohol consumption and to describe characteristics associated with heavy alcohol consumption in individuals from the general population with patients infected with HIV.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants for this analysis came from a population-based cross-sectional study and from a consecutive sampling of patients infected with HIV. Participants aged 18 years or older were interviewed using similar questionnaires with questions pertaining to socio-demographic characteristics, alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity, and HIV-related characteristics, among others. Blood pressure and anthropometric measures were measured using standardized procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Weekly alcohol consumption was more prevalent among individuals from the general population than HIV-infected patients: 57.0 vs. 31.1%, P<0.001. The prevalence of heavy episodic drinking was higher in the population sample as well: 46.1 vs. 17.0%, P<0.001. In the general population, heavy alcohol consumption was more prevalent in men. Cigarette smoking was independently associated with heavy alcohol consumption among HIV infected (Prevalence Ratio; PR = 5.9; 95%CI 2.6-13.9; P<0,001) and general population (PR = 2.6; 95%CI 1.9-3.0; P<0.001). Years at school were inversely associated with heavy alcohol consumption among HIV-infected patients and directly associated among participants from the general population, even after controlling for sex, age, skin color, and smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heavy alcohol consumption is more prevalent in the general population than among HIV-infected patients. Individuals aware about their disease may reduce the amount of alcoholic beverages consumption comparatively to healthy individuals from the general population.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Studies Program in Cardiology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, R. Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 2°. andar, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.|Hospital Sanatório Partenon, State Department of Health, Rio Grande do Sul. Av. Bento Gonçalves, 3722, Porto Alegre, RS 90650-001, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Leticia R
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Hospital Sanatório Partenon, State Department of Health, Rio Grande do Sul. Av. Bento Gonçalves, 3722, Porto Alegre, RS 90650-001, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nemora T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Barcellos
authors.affiliation: Hospital Sanatório Partenon, State Department of Health, Rio Grande do Sul. Av. Bento Gonçalves, 3722, Porto Alegre, RS 90650-001, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Alencastro
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Sciences in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, R. Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Studies Program in Cardiology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, R. Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 2°. andar, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leila B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Studies Program in Cardiology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, R. Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 2°. andar, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gus
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Medicine-Hepatology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ajacio B M
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Studies Program in Cardiology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, R. Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 2°. andar, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.|Cardiolody Division, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre. Centro de Pesquisa Clínica, R. Ramiro Barcelos 2350, Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flavio D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Studies Program in Cardiology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, R. Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 2°. andar, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sandra C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Fuchs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult