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Mortality, Health, and Substance Abuse by Religious Attendance Among HIV Infected Patients from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study

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Abstract

Religion and spirituality have been associated with higher survival and improved biological markers among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). Prior results have largely been among small cohort studies. We examined the association using a larger sample and longitudinal data from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) years 2002–2012 (n = 3,685). Attending services at least monthly was associated with higher social support (80% vs 75%, p = 0.002), less unhealthy alcohol use (35% vs 39%, p = 0.006), less marijuana use in the past year (23% vs 32%, p < 0.001), less overall drug use within the past year (27% vs 31%, p = 0.01), and lower depression (20% vs 24%, p = 0.004). Attending services monthly was associated with a reduced mortality risk adjusting for age, race, gender, education, MSM, HCV, VL, CD4, and adherence to ARV (adjusted HazardRatio [aHR] = 0.89, 0.80–0.99). However, after controlling for smoking status, this association of mortality and religious attendance became non-significant (aHR = 0.93, 0.84–1.04).

Resumen

La religión y la espiritualidad se han asociado con una mayor supervivencia y mejores marcadores biológicos entre las personas que viven con VIH / SIDA (PLWH). Los resultados anteriores han sido en gran parte entre estudios de cohortes pequeñas. Examinamos la asociación utilizando una muestra más grande y datos longitudinales del Estudio de cohorte de envejecimiento de veteranos (VACS) años 2002–2012 (n = 3,685). Asistir a los servicios al menos mensualmente se asoció con un mayor apoyo social (80% frente a 75%, p = 0.002), menos consumo de alcohol no saludable (35% frente a 39%, p = 0.006), menos consumo de marihuana en el último año (23% vs 32%, p < 0.001), menos consumo total de drogas en el último año (27% vs 31%, p = 0.01) y depresión más baja (20% vs 24%, p = 0.004). La asistencia mensual a los servicios se asoció con una reducción del riesgo de mortalidad ajustada por edad, raza, sexo, educación, HSH, VHC, VL, CD4 y adherencia al ARV (HazardRatio ajustado [aHR] = 0.89, 0.80–0.99). Sin embargo, después de controlar el tabaquismo, esta asociación de mortalidad y asistencia religiosa se volvió no significativa (aHR = 0.93, 0.84–1.04).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, PO Box 8030, Yale Station, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Benjamin R. Doolittle

  2. VACS Coordination Center, Veterans Administration Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA

    Kathleen McGinnis, David Fiellin & Amy Justice

  3. Yale University School of Public Health, 60 College Street LEPH, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA

    Yusuf Ransome

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  1. Benjamin R. Doolittle
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  2. Kathleen McGinnis
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  3. Yusuf Ransome
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  5. Amy Justice
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Correspondence to Benjamin R. Doolittle.

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Doolittle, B.R., McGinnis, K., Ransome, Y. et al. Mortality, Health, and Substance Abuse by Religious Attendance Among HIV Infected Patients from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study. AIDS Behav 25, 653–660 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-020-03028-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-020-03028-4

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