Open AccessAlcohol Consumption and Sexual Risk Behavior in an Aging Population in Rural South Africa
Author(s) -
Rebecca A de Vlieg,
Eva van Empel,
Livia Montana,
Francesc Xavier GómezOlivé,
Kathleen Kahn,
Stephen Tollman,
Lisa F. Berkman,
Till Bärnighausen,
Jennifer ManneGoehler
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
aids and behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.994
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1573-3254
pISSN - 1090-7165
DOI - 10.1007/s10461-020-03132-5
Subject(s) - health psychology , demography , condom , odds , medicine , population , psychological intervention , public health , gerontology , environmental health , consumption (sociology) , cross sectional study , longitudinal study , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , psychiatry , syphilis , logistic regression , social science , nursing , family medicine , pathology , sociology
We sought to characterize the relationship between alcohol consumption and sexual risk-taking in an aging population in rural South Africa. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using baseline data from the Health and Ageing in Africa: a Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community (HAALSI) cohort. We elicited information on sexual risk behavior and self-reported frequency of alcohol consumption among 5059 adults ≥ 40 years old. Multivariable models showed that more frequent alcohol consumption is associated with a higher number of sexual partners (β: 1.38, p < .001) and greater odds of having sex for money (OR: 42.58, p < .001) in older adults in South Africa. Additionally, daily drinkers were more likely to have sex without a condom (OR: 2.67, p = .01). Older adults who drank more alcohol were more likely to engage in sexual risk-taking. Behavioral interventions to reduce alcohol intake should be considered to reduce STI and HIV transmission.