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The Effects Of Alcohol And Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Uniform Men
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Available
statistics suggest that the global burden of disease with regard to
both alcohol and unsafe sex is considerable. For example, in 1990
alcohol accounted for 3.5 percent of the total Disability-Adjusted Life
Years (DALYs) lost globally, and for 2.1 percent of the total years of
life lost; unsafe sex accounted for 3.0 percent of the total years of
life lost globally (Room et al., 2002: Murray & Lopez, 1996). The
respective contributions of alcohol and unsafe sex to the global burden
of disease are, furthermore, amplified through the linkages that have
been shown to exist between alcohol, risky sexual behaviour (unintended
or unprotected sexual contact) and the spread of sexually transmitted
infections (STIs), including HIV infection.
Sexual risk behaviour
accounts for a large number of opportunities for acquiring HIV
infection, and alcohol use has been shown to increase high-risk sexual
behaviour. Moreover, the social dynamics that surround alcohol use,
sexual risk behaviour and HIV infection and interactions between these
issues warrant a search for alternative ways of dealing with the problem
in diverse socio-cultural settings, if intervention is to be effective.
Only by unraveling the social dynamics of alcohol use-related sexual
risk behaviour within particular cultural settings can this be achieved.
It can be anticipated that the body of knowledge acquired through
proven scientifically sound instruments will not only highlight the
relevant preventive measures to be adopted but will bring out relevant
clinical and experimental research questions to be considered by all
disciplines interested in curbing the problem of alcohol use-related
sexual risk behaviour with regard to HIV infection.
People with
alcohol use disorders are more likely than the general population to
contract HIV. Similarly, people with HIV are more likely to abuse
alcohol at some time during their lives. (Petry, 1999) Krupitsky et al.
Found a rate of 9 percent for alcohol abuse/dependence in hospitalized
patients with HIV/AIDS (Krupitsky et al, 2005). Alcohol use is
associated with high-risk sexual behaviors and IV drug use which are two
major modes of HIV transmission. Alcohol-related problems are a major
public health issue. A submission of the studies on alcohol use in
Nigeria shows that there has been a rapid increase in alcohol
availability and consumption in recent times with young adults in
universities and colleges being those mainly concerned. (Abiodun, 1991)
Most alcohol-related problems appear in non-alcoholic dependent
individuals who fall into the categories of hazardous or harmful
drinkers according to the WHO (2000) terminology.
In Nigeria studies
have focused on lifetime and current prevalence rates of alcohol use
without exploring alcohol-related problems. (Odejide et al, 1997;
Adelekan et al, 1999) Adewuya in a sample of University young people
found Alcohol related problems in 13.2 percent of subjects of which 9.4
percent had Hazardous drinking, 3.1 percent had Alcohol abuse and 0.74
percent had Alcohol dependence (Adewuya, 2005). There is an urgent need
to encourage extensive epidemiological and longitudinal studies of
alcohol-related problems in Nigeria in order to accurately determine the
populations at risk. Early detection of people with hazardous alcohol
intake and time bound interventions aimed at decreasing alcohol
consumption and thus the likelihood of harm and dependence is warranted.
People who abuse alcohol are more likely to engage in behaviors that
place them at risk for contracting or transmitting HIV. A history of
heavy alcohol use has been correlated with a lifetime tendency toward
high-risk sexual behaviors, including multiple sex partners, unprotected
intercourse, sex with high-risk partners (e.g., injection drug users,
prostitutes), and the exchange of sex for money or drugs. (Windle, 1999;
Avins et al, 1999; Boscarino et ai, 2000; Malow et al, 2001) There may
be many reasons for this association. For example, alcohol can act
directly on the brain to reduce inhibitions and diminish risk
perception. (MacDonald et al, 2000; Fromme et al, 2000; Cooper, 2002)
Decreasing alcohol uses among HIV patients not only reduces the medical
and psychiatric consequences associated with alcohol consumption but
also decreases other drug use and risky sexual behavior and hence reduce
HIV transmission (Lucas et al, 2002). Thus, alcohol and other drug
abuse treatment can be considered primary HIV prevention as well
(Metzger et ai, 1999).
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]Alcohol consumption and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have been a global challenge that confronts most countries of the world. Alcohol as it were has always come with more of negative outcomes. And in considering the correlation between alcohol and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) one would be able to know that it is the outcome effect of it, which one of it is sexual arouse that results into sexually transmitted infections (STIs) which when not immediately managed could results into ... Continue reading---
