Alcohol and khat use as risk factors for HIV infection among visitors to voluntary counselling and testing centres in Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Alcohol and khat are commonly used substances in Ethiopia and are believed to be risk factors for HIV infection. We assessed alcohol and khat use as risk factors for HIV infection among visitors to voluntary counselling and testing centres. In this institution-based unmatched case control study, a total of 495 respondents aged ≥15 years participated. Data were collected using a pretested and structured questionnaire by voluntary counselling and testing service providers. Of the 495 visitors recruited for the study, 155 were cases and 316 were controls. Adjusted for confounding variables, the chewers of khat and alcohol drinkers among the cases were adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 2.68; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.31–5.47 and AOR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.10–3.07, respectively. This study revealed that alcohol and khat uses were significantly associated with those infected with HIV.