Abstract
Advances in medical treatments for HIV have greatly reduced the risk of mortality among those infected. However, high smoking prevalence among people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) impacts on their overall health and acts as a leading cause of morbidity in this population. We conducted a digital tablet-based survey among PLWHA at Ireland's leading free HIV treatment clinic to assess smoking prevalence, behaviour, and interest in a tailored smoking cessation programme. Our smoking prevalence findings mirrored international studies with a prevalence rate of 38% compared to 21.5% in general population. Tobacco prevalence among males (45.4%) was notably higher than among females (24.4%). This is most likely due to the fact that a sizable portion of the female service users are African migrants and there are low levels of tobacco use among this population (6.0% compared with 55.8% of Irish born service users). Tobacco prevalence among IV drug users (59.7%) is nearly double that of never users (32.5%), while LGBT smoking prevalence (39.8%) is only slightly higher than the heterosexual service users (37.6%) in this sample. Of smokers, 24.6% were trying to quit at the time of the survey and an additional 38% would be ready to quit in the next month. 43.6% of smokers were interested in receiving smoking cessation services at their HIV clinic. Our findings reinforce international findings about high tobacco prevalence in PLWHA, particularly in key sub-groups and underscore the demonstrated need for tailored smoking cessation services among this high-risk population.
- Copyright ©ERS 2015