"Such Behaviors Are Not in My Home Village, I Got Them Here": A Qualitative Study of the Influence of Contextual Factors on Alcohol and HIV Risk Behaviors in a Fishing Community on Lake Victoria, Uganda.

Abstract

In Uganda, elevated HIV prevalence in fishing communities along Lake Victoria have been attributed in part to heavy alcohol use, but qualitative research is needed to understand the contextual factors influencing alcohol and sexual risk. Eight focus group discussions were conducted (n = 50; 23 male, 27 female) in Gerenge, Uganda with five occupational groups: fishermen, fishmongers, alcohol-sellers, commercial sex workers, and restaurant owners. Data was analyzed using content analysis. Alcohol use was prevalent and said to influence risky sex. Sex-related alcohol expectancies and occupational factors influenced individuals to drink during sex and structural factors related to the built environment, economy, and policy were identified as key contributors to both alcohol use and sexual risk in general. The findings highlight alcohol reduction as an important component of HIV/AIDS prevention and suggest structural interventions should be prioritized in this context.