Event-Level Association Between Daily Alcohol Use and Same-Day Nonadherence to Antiretroviral Therapy Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men and Trans Women Living With HIV: Intensive Longitudinal Study.

Caitlin Marie Turner,Sean Arayasirikul,Erin C Wilson,Dillon Trujillo,Victory Le

doi:10.2196/22733

Caitlin Marie Turner, Sean Arayasirikul + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.2196/22733

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Abstract

BackgroundYoung trans women (TW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Optimizing adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is one mechanism by which public health experts aim to achieve favorable HIV health outcomes while reducing disease transmission. However, alcohol use is prevalent among young TW and MSM and threatens optimal adherence. In addition, the daily variations in alcohol use and ART adherence and their association with each other are poorly understood, warranting more appropriate methodological approaches, such as analysis of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data.ObjectiveThe aim of this analysis is to characterize the association between daily alcohol use and same-day ART nonadherence captured by an EMA study of young MSM and TW living with HIV in San Francisco.MethodsYoung MSM and TW enrolled in the Health eNav digital HIV care navigation intervention were included in the analytic sample (N=113). Data on alcohol and ART use were collected by daily EMA surveys administered via text messaging and were analyzed over 30 days of follow-up. A multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression model adjusting for baseline sociodemographic characteristics was specified to investigate whether daily alcohol use was associated with same-day ART nonuse.ResultsDaily alcohol use was associated with higher same-day ART nonuse. On average, participants drank alcohol on 15.20 (SD 8.93) days and used ART on 15.19 (SD 10.16) days out of 30 days. Daily alcohol use was associated with 1.89 (95% CI 1.14-3.15) times the adjusted odds of same-day ART nonuse for each participant.ConclusionsResults are consistent with other analyses of daily alcohol and ART use and underscore the importance of individually targeted interventions that are sensitive to each participant’s dynamic risk environment.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.2196/16406

Highlights

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and trans women (TW) are disproportionately affected by HIV
Daily alcohol use was associated with higher same-day antiretroviral therapy (ART) nonuse
Results are consistent with other analyses of daily alcohol and ART use and underscore the importance of individually targeted interventions that are sensitive to each participant’s dynamic risk environment

Summary

Introduction

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and trans women (TW) are disproportionately affected by HIV. MSM made up 70% of new HIV diagnoses in the United States in 2017 [1]. Nonadherence to ART negatively impacts HIV progression [4,5] and is a substantial barrier to achieving favorable HIV health outcomes. Optimal ART adherence is achieved by only 63.4% of adults living with HIV [6,7]. Young trans women (TW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Optimizing adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is one mechanism by which public health experts aim to achieve favorable HIV health outcomes while reducing disease transmission. Alcohol use is prevalent among young TW and MSM and threatens optimal adherence. The daily variations in alcohol use and ART adherence and their association with each other are poorly understood, warranting more appropriate methodological approaches, such as analysis of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data

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