Estimates suggest 30% of
adults report the highest levels of loneliness. Though men are more likely than
women to use illicit substances and engage in heavy drinking, the prevalence of
substance use in women is growing and their escalation toward dependence occurs
more rapidly. Loneliness and substance use have greater relevance within the HIV+ population, with higher rates of substance misuse than the
general population. However, the association between loneliness and substance
use within HIV+ individuals remains understudied.
The purpose of the
present study was to test the hypothesis that there would be an association
between loneliness and substance moderated by gender in HIV+ older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted between
October 2013 and January 2014.
Study participants included 96 HIV-positive Black/African American men and women recruited
through the University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education and Service (UF CARES) in
Jacksonville, Florida. Participants completed an interviewer-administered
assessment examining mental and behavioral health. Pearson correlations
examined associations between loneliness and substance use. Binary logistic
regression analyses stratified by gender examined the association between
loneliness and substance use while controlling for covariates.
Among women,
loneliness was associated with illicit drug use, AOR = 3.37, 95% CI: 1.23-9.21,
p = .018 and heavy drinking, AOR = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.07-5.71, p = .033. No
significant associations were found between loneliness and illicit drug use,
and heavy drinking in men. Substance use among women in this population may be
linked to loneliness. Interventions should be gender specific.
Further research
into this association is necessary as it will likely have important clinical
implications for this population.
Purchase full article at: http://goo.gl/itNjkW
By:
- 1a Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions , University of Florida , Gainesville , FL , USA.
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