Alcohol use and HIV related behaviors: Results from a nationally representative sample of women

Background: Research shows that drug and alcohol use are associated with HIV risky behaviors. Prevention research suggests that HIV prevention and outreach services are associated with reduced HIV risk behaviors among high-risk populations. However, despite the high incidence and prevalence of HIV infection among women in recent years, there is limited empirical evidence on the role of alcohol in the transmission of HIV/AIDS for this population.

Methods: Secondary data analyses of the 2009 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were performed to identify the association between alcohol use, and HIV risk and protective behaviors among women (N=15,233). Multivariate logistic regression techniques were used to model HIV risk and protective behaviors controlling for individual, interpersonal, organizational, and community level factors.

Results: Findings demonstrate that older women were 5% less likely to have ever tested for HIV. Black or African American women were more than twice as likely to report ever testing for HIV compared to White women. Regression results show that level of alcohol use was significantly associated with reporting being at risk for HIV or risk exposure, reporting ever testing for HIV, and duration since last provider visit (p<0.05). Women who consumed some alcohol and those who engaged in heavy alcohol use were less likely to report ever testing for HIV.

Conclusions: Public health policymakers should consider targeting resources to more comprehensive HIV-prevention efforts for alcohol-using women. Alcohol related HIV prevention and outreach efforts need to expand to better serve women who may not be traditionally targeted.