Alcohol use and anti-retroviral adherence among people living with HIV in ART centre of Nepal

Abstract Background Alcohol use is known to have higher prevalence among HIV infected individuals. Hazardous use of alcohol in many studies is negatively associated with the adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Use of alcohol and ART adherence among PLHIV is inadequately explored in Nepalese context. This study aimed at identifying the level of alcohol use and its relationship with adherence to ART among PLHIV. Methods A total of 205 PLHIV of age 18 years or more were randomly selected at a national ART centre of Nepal. Self-reported adherence questionnaire was used to get the level of adherence, Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) with five questions was adopted for screening the hazardous alcohol use. Those who took more than 95% of the prescribed doses were considered as adherent. Results About 86% of the respondents were adherent to ART in four days recall. About one third of the respondents were alcohol user and 40% of them had hazardous use of alcohol. Those having hazardous use of alcohol were four times (AOR=4.60, 95% CI 1.27,16.62) more likely to be non-adherent as compared to those who had not hazardous use of alcohol. Multivariate analyses adjusted ethnicity, Knowledge on dangers of non-adherence, subjective feeling of own health, use of memory aid, IDU background, treatment substitution and depression category. Conclusion Hazardous use of alcohol was independently associated with non-adherence with the ART. Key message Screening at the start of the treatment and intervention targeting alcohol use may improve HIV outcomes in individuals with hazardous alcohol use.