Perinatal alcohol use among young women living with HIV in South Africa: Context, experiences, and implications for interventions.

ABSTRACT: Perinatal alcohol use is common in South Africa, including among young women living with HIV (WLHIV), but there are few insights into the drivers of alcohol use in this population. Following the completion of a pilot trial of a peer support intervention for WLHIV aged 16-24 years in Cape Town, we purposively selected participants who had reported perinatal alcohol use at ≥1 study visits to complete a qualitative in-depth interview exploring their experiences of substance use. Of 119 women enrolled, 28 reported alcohol use, and 24 were interviewed, with ≥1/3 reporting drinking throughout their pregnancy. Women described living in a community where heavy perinatal alcohol consumption is normalised, including among their peers, leading to social pressure. Despite being aware of the risks of p

SUBMITTER: Brittain K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10413958 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature