Panagiotis Vagenas1, Shan-Estelle Brown1, Jesse L Clark2, Kelika A Konda2, Javier R Lama3, Jorge Sánchez3, Ann C Duerr4, Frederick L Altice1,5. 1. a AIDS Program , Yale School of Medicine , New Haven , Connecticut , USA. 2. b David Geffen School of Medicine , University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles , California , USA. 3. c Asociación Civil Impacta Salud y Educación , Lima , Peru. 4. d Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center , Seattle , Washington , USA. 5. e Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases , Yale School of Public Health , New Haven , Connecticut , USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Peruvian men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) experience the double burden of a highly concentrated HIV epidemic with a high prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Recent research has associated both with risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex, having multiple sexual partners, engaging in sex work, having recent sexually transmitted infections, and having HIV-infected partners. AUDs have also been associated in MSM/TGW with being unaware of HIV+ status. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to further examine issues associated with alcohol consumption, HIV infection, and risk behaviors in a qualitative analysis of focus groups conducted with MSM/TGW in Peru. METHODS: A total of 26 MSM/TGW participants with AUDs participated in three semi-structured focus groups in Lima, Peru. Content analysis was facilitated by software, and specific themes were elucidated. RESULTS: Participants described their drinking patterns, including the types of alcoholic drinks they consumed. They depicted drinking frequently and over multiple-day sessions. Problematic drinking behaviors were described, as well as the perceived characteristics of alcohol dependence. Interestingly, HIV-infected participants who were prescribed antiretroviral therapy did not believe that their drinking affected their medication adherence. These insights can aid in the design of future interventions aiming to reduce problematic drinking as well as HIV-related risk behaviors and, subsequently, HIV incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Peruvian MSM/TGW exhibit problematic drinking, which may be associated with risky sexual behaviors and HIV transmission. Interest in reducing alcohol consumption was high, suggesting the need for targeted behavioral and pharmacological interventions.
BACKGROUND: Peruvian men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) experience the double burden of a highly concentrated HIV epidemic with a high prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Recent research has associated both with risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex, having multiple sexual partners, engaging in sex work, having recent sexually transmitted infections, and having HIV-infected partners. AUDs have also been associated in MSM/TGW with being unaware of HIV+ status. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to further examine issues associated with alcohol consumption, HIV infection, and risk behaviors in a qualitative analysis of focus groups conducted with MSM/TGW in Peru. METHODS: A total of 26 MSM/TGW participants with AUDs participated in three semi-structured focus groups in Lima, Peru. Content analysis was facilitated by software, and specific themes were elucidated. RESULTS:Participants described their drinking patterns, including the types of alcoholic drinks they consumed. They depicted drinking frequently and over multiple-day sessions. Problematic drinking behaviors were described, as well as the perceived characteristics of alcohol dependence. Interestingly, HIV-infectedparticipants who were prescribed antiretroviral therapy did not believe that their drinking affected their medication adherence. These insights can aid in the design of future interventions aiming to reduce problematic drinking as well as HIV-related risk behaviors and, subsequently, HIV incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Peruvian MSM/TGW exhibit problematic drinking, which may be associated with risky sexual behaviors and HIV transmission. Interest in reducing alcohol consumption was high, suggesting the need for targeted behavioral and pharmacological interventions.
Entities:
Keywords:
Alcohol drinking; HIV; MSM; focus groups; gay men; men who have sex with men; risky sex; transgender women; unprotected sex
Authors: Jorge Sanchez; Javier R Lama; Lourdes Kusunoki; Hugo Manrique; Pedro Goicochea; Aldo Lucchetti; Manuel Rouillon; Monica Pun; Luis Suarez; Silvia Montano; Jose L Sanchez; Stephen Tabet; James P Hughes; Connie Celum Journal: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Date: 2007-04-15 Impact factor: 3.731
Authors: Shan-Estelle Brown; Panagiotis Vagenas; Kelika A Konda; Jesse L Clark; Javier R Lama; Pedro Gonzales; Jorge Sanchez; Ann C Duerr; Frederick L Altice Journal: Am J Mens Health Date: 2015-03-17
Authors: Enrico G Ferro; Damian Weikum; Panagiotis Vagenas; Michael M Copenhaver; Pedro Gonzales; Jesus Peinado; Robinson Cabello; Javier R Lama; Jorge Sanchez; Frederick L Altice Journal: AIDS Care Date: 2014-10-03
Authors: Stephen Tabet; Jorge Sanchez; Javier Lama; Pedro Goicochea; Pablo Campos; Manuel Rouillon; Jose Luis Cairo; Lucia Ueda; Douglas Watts; Connie Celum; King K Holmes Journal: AIDS Date: 2002-06-14 Impact factor: 4.177
Authors: Raymond F Anton; Stephanie S O'Malley; Domenic A Ciraulo; Ron A Cisler; David Couper; Dennis M Donovan; David R Gastfriend; James D Hosking; Bankole A Johnson; Joseph S LoCastro; Richard Longabaugh; Barbara J Mason; Margaret E Mattson; William R Miller; Helen M Pettinati; Carrie L Randall; Robert Swift; Roger D Weiss; Lauren D Williams; Allen Zweben Journal: JAMA Date: 2006-05-03 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Frits van Griensven; Jan Willem de Lind van Wijngaarden; Stefan Baral; Andrew Grulich Journal: Curr Opin HIV AIDS Date: 2009-07 Impact factor: 4.283
Authors: Panagiotis Vagenas; Marwan M Azar; Michael M Copenhaver; Sandra A Springer; Patricia E Molina; Frederick L Altice Journal: Curr HIV/AIDS Rep Date: 2015-12 Impact factor: 5.071
Authors: Kaysia T Ludford; Panagiotis Vagenas; Javier R Lama; Jesus Peinado; Pedro Gonzales; Rene Leiva; Monica Pun; Jorge Sanchez; Frederick L Altice Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-08-06 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Ellen C Murphy; Eddy R Segura; Jordan E Lake; Leyla Huerta; Amaya G Perez-Brumer; Kenneth H Mayer; Sari L Reisner; Javier R Lama; Jesse L Clark Journal: AIDS Behav Date: 2020-06
Authors: Ana Claudia Ossa-Giraldo; John Sebastián Correa; Cristhian Leonardo Moreno; Yurany Blanquiceth; Lizdany Flórez-Álvarez; Katherin Contreras-Ramírez; Luis Felipe Higuita-Gutérrez; Juan Carlos Hernández; Wildeman Zapata Journal: Arch Sex Behav Date: 2021-04-07
Authors: Larissa Jennings Mayo-Wilson; Eric G Benotsch; Sheila R Grigsby; Sarah Wagner; Fatmata Timbo; Tonia Poteat; Lauretta Cathers; Ashlee N Sawyer; Shelby A Smout; Rick S Zimmerman Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2020-05-26 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: R Colby Passaro; Angelica Castañeda-Huaripata; Williams Gonzales-Saavedra; Susan Chavez-Gomez; Eddy R Segura; Jordan E Lake; Robinson Cabello; Jesse L Clark Journal: BMC Infect Dis Date: 2019-11-11 Impact factor: 3.090