Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019 Aug;31(4):380-393.
doi: 10.1521/aeap.2019.31.4.380.

Prevalence of Alcohol Use and Factors Associated With Problem Drinking in Social Networks of People Living With HIV Infection in St. Petersburg, Russia

Yuri A Amirkhanian  1   2 , Jeffrey A Kelly  1   2 , Sergey S Tarima  1 , Anna V Kuznetsova  2 , Wayne J DiFranceisco  1 , Vladimir B Musatov  2   3 , Alexey A Yakovlev  2   3 , Timothy L McAuliffe  1
Affiliations

Prevalence of Alcohol Use and Factors Associated With Problem Drinking in Social Networks of People Living With HIV Infection in St. Petersburg, Russia

Yuri A Amirkhanian et al. AIDS Educ Prev. 2019 Aug.

Abstract

Russia has over 1.2 million HIV infections and Europe's highest HIV incidence. Although its HIV epidemic is intertwined with high alcohol consumption rates, the interaction between alcohol use and HIV care in Russia is understudied. Five hundred eighty-six HIV-positive persons were recruited using social network methods in St. Petersburg. Fifty-nine percent of males, and 45% of females, drank regularly. Thirty percent of alcohol users reported binge drinking (males: ≥ 5 drinks; females ≥ 4 drinks) in the past week. Alcohol use was associated with lower HIV care engagement and having a detectable viral load. Multivariate analyses showed that any alcohol consumption, number of alcohol drinks consumed, and having a binge drinking day in the past week were associated with male gender, use of illicit drugs, drug injection, smaller social network size, lower social supports, being unmarried, and reporting condomless intercourse with non-main partners. Interventions to improve HIV care in Russia must comprehensively address the use of alcohol and substances that interfere with care engagement.

Keywords: HIV care engagement; HIV epidemic; HIV treatment; Russia; alcohol use and misuse; people living with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Amirkhanian YA, Kelly JA, DiFranceisco WJ, Kuznetsova AV, Tarima SS et al. (2018). Predictors of HIV care engagement, antiretroviral medication adherence, and viral suppression among people living with HIV infection in St. Petersburg, Russia. AIDS and Behavior, 22, 791–799. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Amirkhanian YA, Kelly JA, Kuznetsova AV, DiFranceisco WJ, Musatov VB, & Pirogov DG (2010). People living with HIV in HAART-era Russia: Transmission risk behavior prevalence, antiretroviral medication-taking, and psychosocial distress. AIDS and Behavior, 15, 767–777. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Amirkhanian YA, Kelly JA, & McAuliffe TL (2003). Psychosocial needs, mental health, and HIV transmission risk behavior among people living with HIV/AIDS in St. Petersburg, Russia. AIDS, 17, 2367–2374. - PubMed
    1. Beck AT, Brown G, Berchick RJ Stewart BL, & Steer RA (1990). Relationship between hopelessness and ultimate suicide: A replication with psychiatric outpatients. American Journal of Psychiatry, 147, 190–195. - PubMed
    1. Beck AT, Weissman A, Lester D, & Trexler L (1974). The measurement of pessimism: the hopelessness scale. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 43, 861–865. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances