Substance Use and HIV/AIDS

           Substance use disorders, which have been considered to be a challenging pattern for alcohol use and other drugs has been closely associated with HIV/AIDS together with other sexually transmitted infections. However, it is necessary to note the fact that individuals contract HIV, which then results leads to AIDS when it is not controlled with the currently available drugs. This paper will discuss some of the factors contributing to the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS among alcohol and drug users.

           HIV infection is usually transmitted in several ways, which consist of unprotected sexual intercourse with individuals infected and through contaminated injection. These are also considered to be the most common mode of transmissions among drug and alcohol users. This is because; smoking, drinking alcohol, or the use of the inhalable drug can interfere with the judgment of individuals (CDC, 2019). Hence, it predisposes them to participate in unsafe sexual behaviors, for example, having several sexual partners and sexual intercourse without a condom, which then explains the prevalence. Besides, individuals living with HIV and substance abuse experience rapid progression of the condition and are less likely to seek health services or adhere to the available antiretroviral therapy (CDC, 2019). Therefore, the condition worsens and progress to AIDS.

           Most of the substances abused are associated with their risk factors. Alcohol is linked with risky sexual behaviors, which hurts the treatment process and opioids, increase the use of needle sharing and risky sexual behaviors together with other substances such as inhalants, methamphetamine and crack cocaine (CDC, 2019). Besides, other populations are at disproportionate risk for abuse of substances and HIV infection. Also, structural and social factors contribute to the challenges of preventing transmission among substance users.

           Conclusively, substance and drug use interferes with individual judgments. Thus, it increases the risk of individuals engaging in risky sexual behavior, which increases the transmission of HIV among them. It also increases the chances of having multiple partners and sharing of needles with infected individuals. Hence, the high prevalence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

CDC. (2019). HIV and Substance Use in the United States. Retrieved 15 October 2019, from https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/substanceuse.html