Determinants of Alcohol Abuse Among People Living with Hiv in Kasese District

Abstract

There is sufficient evidence to show that People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Uganda abuse alcohol and yet battling with low immunity. The persistent abuse of alcohol by PLHIV is very worrying since they are susceptible to opportunistic infections and non-adherence to Anti- retroviral drugs. Although different studies have been carried on the use of alcohol in Uganda, little information is available and undocumented from people living with HIV in districts such as Kasese where alcohol is locally distilled and used for cultural and traditional purposes.

The study was informed by the social learning theory and the objectives of the study were to: examine the socio-economic determinants for abuse of alcohol among People Living with HIV in Kasese District; and identify the socio-economic effects of alcohol abuse among the People Living with HIV in Kasese District.

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design involving interviews with a sample size of 405 respondents were purposively selected and interviewed using questionnaires. 95 respondents were from Kasanga Health Centre III, 131 respondents from Bwera Hospital, Kasese Municipal Health centre III (78) and Kilembe Mines Hospital (101) respectively.

Results: The study established various determinants for the abuse of alcohol by People living with HIV in Kasese District. The major determinants included the environment where individuals live with a significance of 000; and peer group pressure with a significance of 000. Families that brew alcohol with a significance of .002, age with a significance of .003 and monthly income with a significance of .004 were also found major determinants.

It was also found that alcohol abuse increases the risk for the spread of HIV (sig .000), increases poverty among PLHIV (sig .000) and increases accidents on roads (sig .000) were all significan with less than the value of alpha (0.05) .The researcher concludes that the environment must be relevant to other determinants to influence the abuse of alcohol.

Therefore, the study recommended a multi-sectorial approach by involving the government leaders, community and cultural leaders, health workers in the district to sensitize and educate the people about the dangers of alcohol abuse on individual health. It was further recommended for the health workers to use public health media campaigns and other evidence based interventions such as formation of different peer support groups to assist the PLHIV with peer-to peer counseling with specific target to address socio-economic determinants associated with alcohol abuse. It is recommended to conduct future study on the alcohol consumption levels among the people living with HIV in Kasese District and how each level affects their health status.

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