In black women, behavior interventions for alcohol also reduced HIV risk

Black women who consumed alcohol within the previous 30 days were more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors, according to results of a new study presented here.

The study was conducted between October 2002 and March 2006 and involved 848 black American women aged 18 to 29 years. Participants completed a 40-minute Audio Computer Assisted Survey interview assessing sociodemographics, alcohol use, HIV/STD-associated sexual risk behaviors, and psychosocial mediators of HIV/STD-associated sexual risk behaviors.

Puja Seth, PhD, of Emory University, presented the findings. “Previous research focused primarily on the relationship between drug use and HIV/STD risk,” she said. “The research about alcohol and HIV among women that has been conducted was limited to predominantly white, college populations.”

Alcohol use behavior was split into two categories: drinking <1 vs. >1 day(s) over the past 30 days. Results indicated that respondents who consumed alcohol more frequently during the previous 30 days were more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors. The risks for alcohol consumption included:

having a risky sexual partner
multiple sex partners over the past six months
multiple sexual partners over the past 12 months
older partners
less sexual relationship options
less communication frequency
more partner-related condom barriers
more sex-related condom barriers

“Even though consumption was only about four drinks in 30 days, these relationships still exist,” Seth said. “There are several implications to this study. Aside from the fact that interventions should target alcohol use, we would like to stress that clinicians should be encouraged to screen black women to assess for alcohol problems.”

Seth P. A13-2. Presented at: 2009 National HIV Prevention Conference; Aug. 23-26, 2009; Atlanta.