doi:10.1007/s10461-023-04042-y...
Springer
Medicine & Public Health
2023
05-04-2023
To better understand the impact of Uganda’s initial COVID-19 lockdown on alcohol use, we conducted a cross-sectional survey (August 2020-September 2021) among persons with HIV (PWH) with unhealthy alcohol use (but not receiving an alcohol intervention), enrolled in a trial of incentives to reduce alcohol use and improve isoniazid preventive therapy.
We examined associations between bar-based drinking and decreased alcohol use, and decreased alcohol use and health outcomes (antiretroviral therapy [ART] access, ART adherence, missed clinic visits, psychological stress and intimate partner violence), during lockdown.
Of 178 adults surveyed whose data was analyzed, (67% male, median age: 40), 82% reported bar-based drinking at trial enrollment; 76% reported decreased alcohol use during lockdown.
In a multivariate analysis, bar-based drinking was not associated with greater decreases in alcohol use during lockdown compared to non-bar-based drinking (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.31–2.11), adjusting for age and sex.
There was a significant association between decreased alcohol use and increased stress during lockdown (adjusted β = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.07–3.11, P < 0.010), but not other health outcomes.
Beesiga, Brian,Marson, Kara,Fatch, Robin,Emenyonu, Nneka I.,Adong, Julian,Kekibiina, Allen,Puryear, Sarah,Lodi, Sara,McDonell, Michael G.,Muyindike, Winnie R.,Kamya, Moses R.,Hahn, Judith A.,Chamie, Gabriel, 2023, Effects of a COVID-19 Public Health Lockdown on Drinking and Health Behavior Among Persons with HIV and with Unhealthy Alcohol use in Uganda, Springer