Alcohol measuring scales may influence conclusions about the role of alcohol in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk and progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

In an effort to clarify the role of alcohol in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk and progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the author reviewed the method of measuring alcohol consumption across 10 studies published from 1986 through 1990. When the reports in which the association between alcohol and HIV has been evaluated in at-risk groups are compared, the role of alcohol remains unclear. Although there are fewer reports available for analysis, the role of alcohol in the progression of the disease to AIDS has been consistent in indicating that there is no effect of alcohol use. However, the research in both of these areas has utilized different methods to measure alcohol use. There are data relevant to the association between alcohol and HIV that indicate that the estimate of alcohol use is at least partially dependent on the type of measuring instrument used. The application of different measures of alcohol use may have led to different conclusions regarding the role of alcohol in HIV. With regard to the role of alcohol in the progression of the disease to AIDS, even in the consistent findings that alcohol does not lead to progression of the disease to AIDS, a more sensitive measure of alcohol use might yield different results.