Impact of syndemic heavy drinking, smoking, and depression on mortality among MSM with and without HIV: A longitudinal study.

Background: Heavy drinking, smoking, and depression are common among men who have sex with men (MSM). The association of co-occurring longitudinal patterns of these conditions and mortality among MSM were tested, applying a syndemic framework - the interaction of two or more conditions that contribute to poor health outcomes.

Methods: Longitudinal data from 1999 to 2018 from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study of 3046 MSM were analyzed.

Reasons for not seeking alcohol treatment among a sample of Florida adults with HIV who perceived the need for treatment.

Background: A minority of people who need alcohol treatment receive it. Unhealthy alcohol use is common among people with HIV (PWH) and can lead to negative health outcomes. The aims of this multi-methods study are to (1) quantitatively describe the prevalence, psychosocial characteristics, and demographic traits of a sample of PWH currently receiving HIV care in Florida who had a self-reported need for alcohol treatment but did not seek care and (2) qualitatively explore reasons why PWH did not seek treatment.

Associations Between Reductions in Depressive Symptoms and Reductions in Pain and Anxiety Symptoms and Substance Use: Emulation of a Randomized Trial.

Introduction: Depressive symptoms are linked with pain, anxiety, and substance use. Research estimating whether a reduction in depressive symptoms is linked to subsequent reductions in pain and anxiety symptoms and substance use is limited.

Methods: Using data from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study, a multisite observational study of U.

Door-to-door Video-Enhanced Prevalence Study of Tourette Disorder Among African Americans.

Tourette syndrome (TS) affects about 0.5% of the population worldwide, but only sparse and conflicting data exist on TS prevalence among minority samples. Here we used VISIT-TS (a survey preceded by a short video showing tic phenomenology) and community outreach to provide estimates of tic disorder prevalence in African Americans.

Emerging concepts in alcohol, infection & immunity: A summary of the 2023 alcohol and immunology research interest group (AIRIG) meeting.

On December 8th 2023, the annual Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting was held at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. The 2023 meeting focused broadly on how acute and chronic alcohol exposure leads to immune dysregulation, and how this contributes to damage in multiple tissues and organs. These include impaired lung immunity, intestinal dysfunction, autoimmunity, the gut-Central Nervous System (CNS) axis, and end-organ damage.

Does treating pain with alcohol affect drinking reduction among women with HIV enrolled in a clinical trial of naltrexone?

Background: Many women living with HIV (WLWH) experience pain. Alcohol use with the intent to treat pain could lead to hazardous drinking and difficulty in reducing drinking. Naltrexone acts on opioid receptors important for pain regulation and is an approved treatment for alcohol use disorder.

Brief original report: Does smoking status provide information relevant to screening for other substance use among US adults?

We assessed whether tobacco screening provides clinically meaningful information about other substance use, including alcohol and other drug use, potentially facilitating targeting of screening for substance use. Using data from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study survey sample (VACS; N = 7510), we calculated test performance characteristics of tobacco use screening results for identification of other substance use including sensitivity, specificity, positive-likelihood-ratio (+LR = [sensitivity/(1-specificity)]: increase in odds of substance use informed by a positive tobacco screen), and negative-likelihood-ratio (-LR: [(1-sensitivity)/specificity]: reduction in odds of substance use informed by a negative tobacco screen). The sample was 95% male, 75% minority, and 43% were current and 33% were former smokers.

Association of Syndemic Unhealthy Alcohol Use, Smoking, and Depressive Symptoms on Incident Cardiovascular Disease among Veterans With and Without HIV-Infection.

Unhealthy alcohol use, smoking, and depressive symptoms are risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Little is known about their co-occurrence - termed a syndemic, defined as the synergistic effect of two or more conditions-on CVD risk in people with HIV (PWH). We used data from 5621 CVD-free participants (51% PWH) in the Veteran's Aging Cohort Study-8, a prospective, observational study of veterans followed from 2002 to 2014 to assess the association between this syndemic and incident CVD by HIV status.

Does Reducing Drinking in Patients with Unhealthy Alcohol Use Improve Pain Interference, Use of Other Substances, and Psychiatric Symptoms?

Background: We aimed to investigate the impact of reducing drinking in patients with unhealthy alcohol use on improvement of chronic pain interference, substance use, and psychiatric symptoms.

Methods: We analyzed longitudinal data from 2003 to 2015 in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study, a prospective, multisite observational study of US veterans, by emulating a hypothetical randomized trial (a target trial). Alcohol use was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) questionnaire, and outcome conditions were assessed via validated survey items.

Insights Provided by Depression Screening Regarding Pain, Anxiety, and Substance use in a Veteran Population.

Objective: We sought to quantify the extent to which a depression screening instrument commonly used in primary care settings provides additional information regarding pain interference symptoms, anxiety, and substance use.

Methods: Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) data collected from 2003 through 2015 was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) for associations between positive depression screening result cutoffs and clustering conditions. We assessed the test performance characteristics (likelihood ratio value, positive predictive value, and the percentage of individuals correctly classified) of a positive Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9 & PHQ-2) depression screen for the identification of pain interference symptoms, anxiety, and substance use.

Syndemic burden and systemic inflammation, HIV health status, and blood pressure among women with unsuppressed HIV viral loads among women living with HIV.

Introduction: Smoking, low education, obesity, and depressive symptoms are all associated with HIV health status, increased blood pressure, and inflammation, and constitute a syndemic burden that may contribute to poor health outcomes. The current study examined syndemic burden and health outcomes among women living with HIV.

Methods: Women were participants enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study.

Contribution of Behavioral Health Factors to Non-AIDS-Related Comorbidities: an Updated Review.

Purpose Of Review: We summarize recent literature on the contribution of substance use and depression to non-AIDS-related comorbidities. Discussion of recent randomized clinical trials and implementation research to curtail risk attributed to each behavioral health issue is provided.

Recent Findings: Smoking, unhealthy alcohol use, opioid use, and depression are common among PWH and individually contribute to increased risk for non-AIDS-related comorbidities.

Association of Alcohol Screening Scores With Adverse Mental Health Conditions and Substance Use Among US Adults.

Importance: Alcohol screening may be associated with health outcomes that cluster with alcohol use (ie, alcohol-clustering conditions), including depression, anxiety, and use of tobacco, marijuana, and illicit drugs.

Objective: To quantify the extent to which alcohol screening provides additional information regarding alcohol-clustering conditions and to compare 2 alcohol use screening tools commonly used for this purpose.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This longitudinal cohort study used data from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study.

Association between alcohol use and inflammatory biomarkers over time among younger adults with HIV-The Russia ARCH Observational Study.

Background: Biomarkers of monocyte activation (soluble CD14 [sCD14]), inflammation (interleukin-6 [IL-6]), and altered coagulation (D-dimer) are associated with increased mortality risk in people with HIV. The objective of the Russia Alcohol Research Collaboration on HIV/AIDS (ARCH) study was to evaluate the association between heavy alcohol use and inflammatory biomarkers over time.

Methods: The study sought antiretroviral therapy naive participants with HIV (n = 350) and assessed them at baseline, 12 and 24 months.

Association of Syndemic Unhealthy Alcohol Use, Cigarette Use, and Depression With All-Cause Mortality Among Adults Living With and Without HIV Infection: Veterans Aging Cohort Study.

Background: The prevalence and risk of concurrent unhealthy drinking, cigarette use, and depression on mortality among persons living with HIV (PLWH) is unclear. This study applied a syndemic framework to assess whether these co-occurring conditions increase mortality and whether such risk is differential by HIV status.

Methods: We evaluated 6721 participants (49.

HIV care provider perceptions and approaches to managing unhealthy alcohol use in primary HIV care settings: a qualitative study.

Background: HIV care providers often serve as the specialist and the primary care point-of-contact for persons living with HIV (PLWH) and unhealthy alcohol use. The purpose of the present qualitative study was to understand HIV care provider perceptions and approaches to managing unhealthy alcohol use in HIV primary care settings.

Methods: Using a semi-structured interview guide, in-depth interviews were conducted among 14 HIV care providers (5 medical doctors, 5 nurse practitioners/physician assistants, 2 medical assistants, 2 clinical administrative staff) in private and public HIV clinics, across urban and rural areas of Florida.

The Impact of Past and Current Alcohol Consumption Patterns on Progression of Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Among Women and Men Living with HIV Infection.

Background: The relationship between alcohol consumption and atherosclerosis has not been sufficiently examined among people living with HIV (PLWH).

Methods: We analyzed data from PLWH in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS; n = 1,164) and the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS; n = 387) with no history of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Repeated measures of intima-media thickness of the right common carotid artery (CCA-IMT) were assessed using B-mode ultrasound from 2004 to 2013.

Disclosure of HIV serostatus and condomless sex among men living with HIV/AIDS in Florida.

Despite campaigns to increase safer sex practices, there are people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) who do not disclose their HIV status to sexual partners and engage in condomless sex. The purpose of this research was to: 1) describe factors associated with disclosure of HIV status to sexual partners; and 2) determine if disclosure and/or receipt of prevention counseling are independently associated with condomless sex. We used the Florida Medical Monitoring Project to analyze data from 376 HIV positive men with more than one sexual partner.