Background
Transactional
sex is a risk factor for HIV infection. Alcohol use may increase the risk of
transactional sex. No nationally-representative studies have examined the
relationship between multiple dimensions of alcohol use and transactional sex
in women in South Africa. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship
between alcohol dependence, binge drinking and frequency of drinking in the
past month and transactional sex in adult women in South Africa.
Methods
A
cross-sectional study using multi-stage, cluster sampling collected data from a
nationally representative sample of 5,969 women aged 16–55 years in 2012. The
analysis conducted for this paper was restricted to women reporting sexual
activity in the past 12 months (n = 3,594). Transactional sex was defined as
having received money/gifts in exchange for sex with any sex partner in the
past year. Alcohol use measures included: alcohol dependence (≥2 positive
responses to the CAGE questionnaire); binge drinking (≥4 drinks for women on
one occasion); and drinking frequency in the previous month. Logistic
regression models were built to test the hypotheses that each dimension of
alcohol use was associated with transactional sex.
Results
About
6.3% (n = 225) of sexually active women reported transactional sex. Almost a
third (30.6%) of sexually active women had ever drunk alcohol, and 19.2% were
current (past month) drinkers. Among lifetime drinkers, 28.0% were alcohol
dependent and 56.6% were binge drinkers. Alcohol dependent women were twice as
likely to report transactional sex (AOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1–4.3, p<0.05) than
those not alcohol dependent. Binge drinkers were 3.1 times more likely to have
had transactional sex (95% CI 1.5–6.6, p<0.01) than non-binge drinkers.
There was no significant relationship between frequency of drinking in the past
month and transactional sex.
Conclusion
Alcohol dependency and binge drinking are significantly
associated with transactional sex in South African women. HIV prevention
programmes need to target these women, and address both their alcohol use, as
well as the HIV risks associated with transactional sex.
Below: The relationship between hazardous drinking and transactional sex based on the results of this study
Full article at: http://goo.gl/cwiYvk
By:
Sarah Magni, Nicola Christofides, Renay Weiner
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Sarah Magni, Saul Johnson
Anansi Health Consulting, Johannesburg, South Africa
Renay Weiner
Soul City Institute for Health and Development
Communication, Johannesburg, South Africa
More at: https://twitter.com/hiv_insight
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