Trial reportPloS one2019
The efficacy of a brief intervention to reduce alcohol use in persons with HIV in South Africa, a randomized clinical trial.
Trial report in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Interventions in the Era of Universal Test and Treat: A Hybrid Systematic-Narrative Literature Review of Global Evidence.AIDS and behavior · 2026Pooled it
- Primary-level and community worker interventions for the prevention of mental disorders and the promotion of well-being in low- and middle-income countries.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Integrating Depression and Alcohol Use Care Into Primary Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Meta-Analysis.Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.) · 2023Pooled it
- Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low- and middle-income countries.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Primary-level worker interventions for the care of people living with mental disorders and distress in low- and middle-income countries.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- Mental health interventions for persons living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2021Pooled it
- Pilot Results of Masibambisane: Couples Motivational Interviewing with Mobile Breathalyzers to Address Unhealthy Drinking and Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in South Africa.AIDS and behavior · 2025Trial
- Efficacy of Behavioral Intervention, Text Messaging, and Extended Intervention to Address Alcohol Misuse in Sexual Minority Men with HIV: A Factorial Randomized Clinical Trial.AIDS and behavior · 2024Trial
- Effect of a brief alcohol counselling intervention on HIV viral suppression and alcohol use among persons with HIV and unhealthy alcohol use in Uganda and Kenya: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2023Trial
- Financial incentives for reduced alcohol use and increased isoniazid adherence during tuberculosis preventive therapy among people with HIV in Uganda: an open-label, factorial randomised controlled trial.The Lancet. Global health · 2023Trial
- Alcohol-focused and transdiagnostic treatments for unhealthy alcohol use among adults with HIV in Zambia: A 3-arm randomized controlled trial.Contemporary clinical trials · 2023Trial
- Effect of two counseling interventions on self-reported alcohol consumption, alcohol biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth), and viral suppression among persons living with HIV (PWH) with unhealthy alcohol use in Uganda: A randomized controlled trial.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2023Trial
- Effectiveness of a psychological intervention delivered by general nurses for alcohol use disorders in people living with HIV in Zimbabwe: a cluster randomized controlled trial.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2020Trial
- A Moderated Mediation Model of HIV-Related Anticipated Stigma and Social Capital on the Relationship Between Diagnosis During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Potentially Problematic Substance Use Among Young South Africans.International journal of behavioral medicine · 2026Article
- Article
- "Men Take Care of Each Other": Evaluation of a Community-Based Model for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Services Among Male Bar Patrons in Rural South Africa.AIDS patient care and STDs · 2025Article
- "Emotional stress is more detrimental than the virus itself": A qualitative study to understand HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use among internal migrant men in South Africa.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2024Article
- A scoping review of substance use brief interventions in Africa.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Epidemiology of alcohol use and alcohol use disorder among female sex workers in Mbeya City, Tanzania.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Telemedicine for unhealthy alcohol use in adults living with HIV in Alabama using common elements treatment approach: A hybrid clinical efficacy-implementation trial protocol.Contemporary clinical trials communications · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSince there is a high prevalence of high risk alcohol use in patients with HIV in Africa, with negative health effects, there is a need for short interventions to reduce alcohol use.
methodsWe studied the efficacy of a short intervention aiming to reduce alcohol use based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioural Skills Model in patients with HIV with high alcohol use (measured by AUDIT). The study was performed in three outpatient clinics in South Africa. The intervention group received in one-session intervention a personalized feedback on AUDIT results trying to make people aware that they are in the medium- or high-risk drinking category. Both the intervention and the control group received a health education leaflet.
resultsA total of 560 patients participated in the study with a follow up of 1 year. There was a significant decrease in total AUDIT scores between baseline and follow up points 1 (5 months) and 2 (1 year) in both groups. There was no significant decrease between time points 1 and 2. However, between the intervention and control groups there was no difference in reduction of alcohol use to abstinence or low risk alcohol use over time as there was no difference in absolute decrease in AUDIT-score or percentage of change in AUDIT score. The intervention had no influence on the quality of life outcomes, depression scores, stigma, tobacco use, viral load and therapy adherence at both time points. In all secondary outcomes, there was no significant interaction between intervention and time.
conclusionThe brief intervention was not successful at reducing alcohol use both 5 and 12 months after the intervention. However, there was a beneficial effect on reported hazardous or harmful alcohol use at least over a short term follow up period in both study groups. It might be that only an interview and/or the distribution of a health leaflet can be successful in reducing alcohol use but this needs to be investigated with more objective measures of alcohol use. To sustain an effect, most likely repetitive contacts with hazardous or harmful alcohol drinkers will be needed during a long follow up period.
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