Alcohol Consumption Increases Risk of HIV Infection, Study Says

"Alcohol Use Before Sex and HIV Acquisition: A Longitudinal Study in Rakai, Uganda," AIDS: Iryna Zablotska of the National Centre in HIV Social Research and colleagues examined approximately 6,800 men and more than 8,000 women ages 15 to 49 in Rakai, Uganda, to determine if consuming alcohol before sexual intercourse is linked to an increased risk of HIV transmission. The study -- conducted between 1994 and 2002 -- finds that consuming alcohol prior to sexual intercourse increases the risk of acquiring HIV by 67% for men and by 40% for women. The study also finds that if both partners consume alcohol, the risk increases by 58% for men and by 81% for women (Xinhuanet, 5/31).