Binge Drinking May Lead To HIV & Other Infections

Binge-drinking New Yorkers are more likely than moderate drinkers to contract HIV and other STDs, according to a report released Monday by New York City's health department.

About 15% of the city’s adults say they binge drink – defined as consuming five or more drinks on one occasion – at least once a month, according to the report. Binge drinkers are 50% more likely than non-binge drinkers – and three times as likely as non-drinkers – to report having between two and four sexual partners in the past year.

The study suggested drinking may even contribute to loosened sexual inhibitions more than other drugs, in part because alcohol is both legal and more commonly used.

“There’s a wide body of evidence that shows the use of alcohol can lead to lowered inhibitions and impaired judgment,” said Sean Cahill of the nonprofit Gay Men’s Health Crisis. “There’s been a lot of emphasis in the media on crystal meth as a problem connected with HIV-risk behavior. [But] people forget about this legal substance that people can abuse.”

The city’s study showed a particularly heightened HIV risk among men who have sex with men, 24% of whom said they binge drink at least once a month. Some 40% of binge-drinking gay and bisexual men reported having five or more sex partners in the past year, compared with 21% for non-binge drinking gay and bisexual men,.

The report also highlighted the relationship between teen binge drinking and unsafe sex. About 14% of teen respondents said they had more than five drinks in one sitting in the last month. More than a quarter of teens who drank alcohol at all in the last month reported having multiple sexual partners, compared with 11% for non-drinking teens. And only 60% of teens who had used drugs or alcohol before having sex reported using condoms, compared with 72% for sober teens.

Data in the city report is drawn from the health department’s 2007 Community Health Survey, as well as local data from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance project. Courtesy Crains New York Business.