Alcohol
outlet density is positively associated with alcohol consumption and a number
of related risk behaviors. However, very little is known about the effects of
different types of alcohol outlets on HIV prevalence. The current
cross-sectional study examines associations between the number of each type of
alcohol outlet and HIV prevalence within 350 cities located in 26 U.S. metropolitan
statistical areas.
State and
local health department and U.S. Census Bureau surveillance data were analyzed
from 1056 ZIP codes, where an estimated 39 million people reside. Multilevel
negative binomial regression models were used to examine the association
between the number of each type of alcohol outlet in ZIP codes and HIV
prevalence.
Number of
on-premise alcohol outlets within a ZIP code was associated with greater HIV
prevalence. In this sample, the presence of one additional on-premise outlet in
a ZIP code was associated with a 1.5% increase in the HIV prevalence rate in
that location.
This
study extends previous research by examining the relationship between alcohol
outlets and HIV prevalence in a large sample of U.S. ZIP codes. Research is
needed to more closely examine the mechanisms by which on-premise alcohol
outlets may affect HIV transmission. Effective policies to reduce HIV
transmission may include limiting the density of on-premise alcohol
establishments.
- 1Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States. Electronic address: mrosshei@gmu.edu.
- 2Department of Behavioral and Community Health, The University of North Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health, Fort Worth, TX, United States.
- 3Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, The University of North Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health, Fort Worth, TX, United States.
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