The influence of heavy alcohol consumption on hiv infection and progression

The Sub-Sahara African region is inhabited by only 11% of the global population, but is home to 67% of the total HIV infected people and accounts for more than 70% of global AIDS deaths. In this study, we construct a mathematical model to investigate the effect of heavy alcohol consumption on the transmission and progression of HIV/AIDS, and to assess the impact of heavy drinkers on HIV/AIDS related social and health problems such as TB case load and number of orphans. Using demographic data for Botswana, we have shown that if more HIV/AIDS individuals had been de-addicted from heavy alcohol consumption, the severity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the impact of HIV/AIDS on the number of TB cases and orphans would have been significantly less than is the case currently. The study points to the vital need for counseling and education about the evils of heavy alcohol consumption and for alcohol de-addiction programmes.