Are you living with HIV? This is why you must avoid alcohol
Mar 07, 2006
ALCOHOLICS generally suffer form depression but when they contract HIV, their depression intensifies and this makes it harder for them to want to quit drinking.
By Oscar Bamuhigire
ALCOHOLICS generally suffer form depression but when they contract HIV, their depression intensifies and this makes it harder for them to want to quit drinking.
But, we actually have more reason to quit drinking when we are HIV positive than when we are not. Alcohol is the last thing an HIV-positive person needs.
Researchers in the alcohol /HIV field explain that alcohol increases susceptibility to some infections that can occur as complications of AIDS. These include tuberculosis; pneumonia, streptococcus pneumonia and the viral disease hepatitis C, a leading cause of death among people with HIV.
Alcohol may also increase the severity of AIDS-related brain damage, which is characterised, in its severest form, by profound dementia (deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as memory, concentration, and judgment) and a high death rate. Many people living with HIV who take alcohol fail to comply with the complex medication regimen. Studies have associated heavy alcohol use with decreased medication compliance and poor response to HIV therapy in general.
Researchers discovered that among alcoholics who stopped drinking, the outcome of HIV therapy improved significantly. Decreasing alcohol consumption reduces the medical and psychiatric consequences of alcohol consumption and also decreases other drug use and HIV transmission.
Unfortunately, many of the professionals who treat alcoholics and drug addicts don’t appear to give HIV/ AIDS a priority.
Many facilities for the treatment of alcohol or other drug use disorders do not routinely or consistently screen their patients for HIV. Those who test positive fail to seek medical care until the disease is in an advanced stage. Alcohol abuse has been associated with longer delays in seeking treatment.
It is important therefore that health care providers screen their HIV patients for alcohol use problems. And that patients being treated for alcohol be screened for HIV infection. In both cases, steps should be taken to ensure that HIV-positive patients have access to appropriate care.â€
Health care providers should monitor their HIV-positive patients’ alcohol use and initiate interventions to reduce alcohol-related problems when necessary.
Sources:
International Journal of STD and AIDS, American Journal of Public Health, Journal of General Internal Medicine, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Journal of Public Health, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
ALCOHOLICS generally suffer form depression but when they contract HIV, their depression intensifies and this makes it harder for them to want to quit drinking.
But, we actually have more reason to quit drinking when we are HIV positive than when we are not. Alcohol is the last thing an HIV-positive person needs.
Researchers in the alcohol /HIV field explain that alcohol increases susceptibility to some infections that can occur as complications of AIDS. These include tuberculosis; pneumonia, streptococcus pneumonia and the viral disease hepatitis C, a leading cause of death among people with HIV.
Alcohol may also increase the severity of AIDS-related brain damage, which is characterised, in its severest form, by profound dementia (deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as memory, concentration, and judgment) and a high death rate. Many people living with HIV who take alcohol fail to comply with the complex medication regimen. Studies have associated heavy alcohol use with decreased medication compliance and poor response to HIV therapy in general.
Researchers discovered that among alcoholics who stopped drinking, the outcome of HIV therapy improved significantly. Decreasing alcohol consumption reduces the medical and psychiatric consequences of alcohol consumption and also decreases other drug use and HIV transmission.
Unfortunately, many of the professionals who treat alcoholics and drug addicts don’t appear to give HIV/ AIDS a priority.
Many facilities for the treatment of alcohol or other drug use disorders do not routinely or consistently screen their patients for HIV. Those who test positive fail to seek medical care until the disease is in an advanced stage. Alcohol abuse has been associated with longer delays in seeking treatment.
It is important therefore that health care providers screen their HIV patients for alcohol use problems. And that patients being treated for alcohol be screened for HIV infection. In both cases, steps should be taken to ensure that HIV-positive patients have access to appropriate care.â€
Health care providers should monitor their HIV-positive patients’ alcohol use and initiate interventions to reduce alcohol-related problems when necessary.
Sources:
International Journal of STD and AIDS, American Journal of Public Health, Journal of General Internal Medicine, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Journal of Public Health, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse