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Karusa
Kiragu. "Alcohol-related risk behavior among VCT
clients in Kenya: Results of a baseline survey."
ABSTRACT
Background
The link between alcohol misuse and HIV infection makes
voluntary counseling and testing (VCT)
services an important venue for discussing this risk behavior, and
for helping clients formulate risk-reduction plans. However, it is
not known to what extent VCT counselors encounter clients who need
advice about alcohol. We present the alcohol-using behavior of VCT
clients in Kenya, and its implications for HIV counseling and
testing.
Methods
Exit interviews were conducted among a random sample of 1,073 VCT
clients from 20 sites in 2006. Alcohol use was assessed by WHO's
AUDIT scale. Fifty-three percent of the respondents were male, mean age 30 years,
and 77 percent had a sex partner.
Results
Twenty-nine percent of males and 12 percent of females were current alcohol drinkers,
and among these 68 percent of males and 59 percent of females were hazardous
drinkers (AUDIT ≥8 points). Compared to nondrinkers, current
drinkers were more likely to have had sex in the previous 12 months
(AOR=7.4 males, 4.4 females). Current drinkers were also more likely
to report multiple partners (AOR=3.2 males, 6.2 females) but less
likely to always use condoms (AOR=0.6 males, 0.5 females). Compared
to harmless drinkers, hazardous drinkers were more likely to have
perpetrated violence towards their partner (AOR 5.4 males, 3.3
females).
Conclusions
Alcohol-using VCT clients engage in multiple behaviors that
elevate their risk for HIV. There is need for strategies to explore
how alcohol risk reduction can be addressed in VCT settings.
Learning objectives
- To document the alcohol risk reduction needs of VCT clients.
Poster Session 3276.0—HIV/AIDS Prevalence, Risk Behaviors,
Antiretroviral Therapy Issues, and Treatment/Prevention Options
in East and Southern Africa
Monday, 5 November 2007,
2:30–3:30
pm
APHA 2007 Conference Web site
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