HIV-Risk Behaviors and Social Support Among Men and Women Attending Alcohol-Serving Venues in South Africa: Implications for HIV Prevention

Velloza, Jennifer; Watt, Melissa H.; Abler, Laurie; Skinner, Donald G.; Kalichman, Seth C.; Dennis, Alexis C.; Sikkema, Kathleen J.

doi:10.1007/s10461-017-1853-z

Cited by 12 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 41 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…As well, there are mixed findings concerning gender-specific relationship between social support and HIV risks. For example, a study of individuals attending venues serving alcohol in South Africa [42] found that social support was correlated with fewer sexual risk behaviors for females, but not for males. Contrarily, in a study of drug injection users in Sichuan, China [43], the researchers did not observe a relationship between social support and HIV risk behaviors among female users, but identified that decreased social support was correlated with increased HIV risk behaviors among male users.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social support, mental health needs, and HIV risk behaviors: a gender-specific, correlation study

2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to threaten the health and wellbeing of millions in the United States and worldwide. Syndemic theory suggests that HIV/AIDS can cooccur with other afflictions. As close to 20% of US adults live with a mental health condition, it is critical to understand the correlation between HIV risk behaviors and mental health needs, as well as protective factors such as social support in intervening the association between mental distress and HIV risk behaviors. Furthermore, as past research has shown mixed results concerning the function of social support on HIV risks by gender, it is important to conduct a gender-specific analysis. Methods To assess the relationship between mental health needs, social support, and HIV risk behaviors, and to assess if social support can be a buffer, weakening the effect of mental health needs on HIV risk, in 2018, we analyzed representative, cross-sectional data from 2016 BRFSS collected from 33,705 individuals from four states in the United States, stratified by gender. Weighted logistic regression analyses, adjusted for age, race, marital status, education, and annual income, assessed the correlation between mental health needs, social support, and HIV risk behaviors. Furthermore, interaction analyses were performed to see if social support modifies the slope of mental health needs as a function of HIV risk behaviors. Results For both genders, the odds of participating in HIV risk behaviors increase with mental health needs and decrease with the level of social support. Furthermore, social support mitigates the association between mental health needs and HIV risk behavior involvement for males, as males receiving high level of social support have least odds of HIV risk behaviors relative to males receiving low level of social support. Notably, for females, social support does not serve as a buffer against HIV risk behaviors when their mental health needs increase. Conclusion The study contributes to the knowledge base of HIV prevention and highlights the important role of mental health and social support against HIV risk behaviors when developing gender-specific prevention strategies.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social support, mental health needs, and HIV risk behaviors: a gender-specific, correlation study

2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Numerous studies have shown that women who frequent alcohol serving venues, like OFSW and OHRW, have an increased prevalence of psychosocial factors that can exacerbate HIV infection risk [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. One study in South Africa found women who attended alcoholserving venues daily had more partners and more unprotected sex than those who didn't [22]. A study in Zimbabwe found that women at venues offering alcohol described more risky behaviors than those without alcohol [23].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differences in Access to HIV Services and Risky Sexual Behaviors Among Malawian Women at Social Venues Who Do and Do Not Engage in Sex Work

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In the high HIV-burden country of Malawi, female sex workers (FSW) are one of the populations most profoundly affected by HIV. The Malawi Priorities for Local AIDS Control Efforts (PLACE) surveyed 1,004 self-identified FSW, 213 other FSW (OFSW), and 130 other high risk women (OHRW) at social venues. Analyses compared the three groups using surveyweighted log binomial regression models. Each group had a distinct pattern of usage and access to services: OFSW and FSW had greater access to condoms, while using a condom ever was greatest among FSW. Nearly all women knew where to get tested for HIV but very few used FSW drop-in centers. HIV prevalence was high in all three groups (35% FSW, 20% OFSW, 20% OHRW). Given these results, HIV services should be targeted to all women at social venues in Malawi, regardless of sex worker status to improve health outcomes and limit onward transmission of HIV.

show abstract

“…AUD prevalence in South Africa is 7%, compared to 3.7% in other sub‐Saharan African countries [6,7], higher for men (12.4%) than for women (1.8%) and higher in rural than urban settings [8,9]. Patrons at shebeens, congregate settings where alcohol is served, report high‐risk behaviours making these an ideal setting for engaging young men for HIV prevention and treatment [10–12]. Pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly efficacious biomedical HIV prevention tool [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feasibility of a community‐based delivery model for HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis among bar patrons in rural South Africa

Grammatico

Moll²,

Choi

et al. 2021

J Int AIDS Soc.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionSouth Africa, home to the world's largest HIV epidemic, has made great strides in improving access to HIV services, but specific groups, particularly young men, remain difficult to engage in the HIV care cascade. Alcohol use disorder, prevalent in South Africa, further complicates engagement. Congregate settings where alcohol is served, known as shebeens, are an ideal place to engage young people for HIV testing, treatment and prevention, including pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Here, we characterize the uptake of PrEP in shebeen patrons and explore the effect of alcohol consumption on PrEP uptake by piloting a community‐based delivery model.MethodsIn the rural Kwazulu‐Natal province (KZN) of South Africa, a field team made up of all men offered screenings outside of shebeens at 27 events over 6 months in 2020. Screenings included rapid HIV testing and Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). Participants who tested negative for HIV were offered PrEP as once daily oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine. Short‐term retention was determined. Logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of PrEP uptake, including unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval.ResultsOne hundred and sixty‐two shebeen patrons were screened, and 136 (84%) were eligible for PrEP. Among those eligible, 37 (27%) completed clinical evaluation and initiated PrEP. Among PrEP initiators, 91.9% were men, median age was 26.0 years (interquartile range 21–31), 32.4% were employed, 18.9% had running water and 70.3% had AUDIT scores indicating hazardous drinking. Among 37 initiators, 25 (68%) were retained at 1 month, and 19 (51%) were retained at 4 months. Independent predictors of PrEP uptake among all bar patrons, and only men (108 screened and 34 initiators), included younger age (OR 0.92 [0.88–0.97]) and lifetime number of sexual partners (OR 1.07 [1.02–1.13]).ConclusionsCommunity‐based PrEP delivery after engagement at shebeens in rural South Africa is a feasible and novel approach to reach a traditionally difficult‐to‐engage population, particularly young men. In this small sample, sexual risk behaviours predicted PrEP uptake. Hazardous drinking was not a barrier to PrEP initiation.

show abstract

HIV-Risk Behaviors and Social Support Among Men and Women Attending Alcohol-Serving Venues in South Africa: Implications for HIV Prevention

Cited by 12 publications

References 41 publications

Social support, mental health needs, and HIV risk behaviors: a gender-specific, correlation study

Social support, mental health needs, and HIV risk behaviors: a gender-specific, correlation study

Differences in Access to HIV Services and Risky Sexual Behaviors Among Malawian Women at Social Venues Who Do and Do Not Engage in Sex Work

Feasibility of a community‐based delivery model for HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis among bar patrons in rural South Africa

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About