Self-medication of pain and discomfort with alcohol and other substances by people with HIV infection and substance use disorder: preliminary findings from a secondary analysis.
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| Title: | Self-medication of pain and discomfort with alcohol and other substances by people with HIV infection and substance use disorder: preliminary findings from a secondary analysis. |
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| Authors: | Stein, Michael D., Godersky, Margo E., Kim, Theresa W., Walley, Alexander Y., Heeren, Timothy C., Winter, Michael R., Magane, Kara M., Saitz, Richard |
| Source: | AIDS Care. Mar2024, Vol. 36 Issue 3, p414-424. 11p. |
| Subjects: | Substance abuse, Pain, Cross-sectional method, Nonprescription drugs, Health status indicators, Self medication, Alcohol drinking, Drugs, Descriptive statistics, Research funding, T cells, Psychology of HIV-positive persons |
| Abstract: | There is a limited literature regarding factors associated with self-medication of pain and discomfort using alcohol, non-prescription substances or overuse of prescription medications among people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This cross-sectional analysis used data from the Boston ARCH Cohort among participants with HIV infection and a history of alcohol or other substance use. Among 248 participants, 37% were female, 50% Black, 25% Latinx; 36% reported fair to poor health and 89% had CD4 cell counts >200/mm3. Half reported self-medication and of those, 8.8% reported doing so only with alcohol, 48.8% only with other substances and 42.4% with both alcohol and other substances. Those reporting self-medication were significantly (p <.05) younger (mean 47 vs 50 years), less employed (11% vs 21%), and less likely to have HIV viral suppression (60% vs. 80%). Depression, anxiety, and HIV symptoms were associated with significantly greater odds of self-medicating, as were substance dependence, recent injection substance use, heavy alcohol use, cocaine use, opioid use, sedative use, and cannabis use. Self-medication, highly prevalent and associated with worse mental health symptoms, greater substance use, and lesser HIV disease control, should be explored by HIV clinicians caring for people who use substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | There is a limited literature regarding factors associated with self-medication of pain and discomfort using alcohol, non-prescription substances or overuse of prescription medications among people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This cross-sectional analysis used data from the Boston ARCH Cohort among participants with HIV infection and a history of alcohol or other substance use. Among 248 participants, 37% were female, 50% Black, 25% Latinx; 36% reported fair to poor health and 89% had CD4 cell counts >200/mm3. Half reported self-medication and of those, 8.8% reported doing so only with alcohol, 48.8% only with other substances and 42.4% with both alcohol and other substances. Those reporting self-medication were significantly (p <.05) younger (mean 47 vs 50 years), less employed (11% vs 21%), and less likely to have HIV viral suppression (60% vs. 80%). Depression, anxiety, and HIV symptoms were associated with significantly greater odds of self-medicating, as were substance dependence, recent injection substance use, heavy alcohol use, cocaine use, opioid use, sedative use, and cannabis use. Self-medication, highly prevalent and associated with worse mental health symptoms, greater substance use, and lesser HIV disease control, should be explored by HIV clinicians caring for people who use substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 09540121 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/09540121.2023.2275047 |
