title: Alcohol Use, Socioeconomic Status and Risk of HIV Infections.
abstract: The present study investigated the associations among alcohol use, socioeconomic status (SES), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status, in the South African context. It was hypothesized that SES (predictor; measured as median split asset score) and alcohol use in the past 12 months (predictor) would interact such that current drinkers of low SES would be at an increased risk of testing HIV-positive (outcome). Nationally representative, cross-sectional survey data from 2005 (N = 16,110), 2008 (N = 13,055), and 2012 (N = 25,979) were analyzed using multinomial regression models. Current drinkers of low SES had an elevated risk of HIV infection in all survey years, ranging from a relative risk ratio (RRR) of 1.94 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29-3.00, t = 2.93, p = 0.002) in 2012 to RRR of 3.51 (95% CI 2.02-6.08, t = 4.47, p < 0.001) in 2008. Targeting preventive strategies to alcohol users of low SES could help reduce HIV burden and associated socioeconomic differences.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada. mariecharlotte.probst@gmail.com.|Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy & Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Longitudinal Studies (CELOS), Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany. mariecharlotte.probst@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.affiliation: Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), Plein Park Building, 69 Plein Street, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa.|Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, J-Block, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7935, South Africa.
authors.forename: Leickness C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Simbayi
authors.affiliation: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa.|Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa.
authors.forename: Charles D H
authors.initials: CDH
authors.lastname: Parry
authors.affiliation: Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada.|Social and Behavioural Health Sciences Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Shuper
authors.affiliation: Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada.|Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy & Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Longitudinal Studies (CELOS), Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany.|Addiction Policy, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, 6th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada.|Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rehm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012306:Risk; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol use; HIV/AIDS; Inequality; Socioeconomic status; South Africa