Co-occurring psychosocial problems and HIV risk among women attending drinking venues in a South African township: a syndemic approach

Ann Behav Med. 2013 Apr;45(2):153-62. doi: 10.1007/s12160-012-9420-3.

Abstract

Background: In South Africa, women comprise the majority of HIV infections. Syndemics, or co-occurring epidemics and risk factors, have been applied in understanding HIV risk among marginalized groups.

Purpose: The purposes of this study are to apply the syndemic framework to examine psychosocial problems that co-occur among women attending drinking venues in South Africa and to test how the co-occurrence of these problems may exacerbate risk for HIV infection.

Method: Five hundred sixty women from a Cape Town township provided data on multiple psychosocial problems, including food insufficiency, depression, abuse experiences, problem drinking, and sexual behaviors.

Results: Bivariate associations among the syndemic factors showed a high degree of co-occurrence and regression analyses showed an additive effect of psychosocial problems on HIV risk behaviors.

Conclusions: These results demonstrate the utility of a syndemic framework to understand co-occurring psychosocial problems among women in South Africa. HIV prevention interventions should consider the compounding effects of psychosocial problems among women.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology*
  • Alcohol Drinking / psychology
  • Black People / psychology*
  • Comorbidity
  • Eating / psychology
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology*
  • HIV Infections / psychology
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Mental Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Mental Disorders / psychology
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • South Africa / epidemiology
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology
  • Unsafe Sex / psychology*
  • Violence / psychology