Study population characteristics
The HAALSI study randomly selected 6281 participants 40 years and older from the Agincourt HDSS. A total of 5059 (80.5%) were reachable, available, consented to take part, and were enrolled in the baseline wave of the study. From them 2345 were male (46.4%) and 2714 were female (53.6%). The more frequent age group was between the ages of 50–59 years old (n = 1410, 27.9%), a third had a normal BMI (n = 1719, 36.7%), and three quarters were not working (n = 3719, 73.7%). Almost half of them had no formal education (n = 2306, 45.7%) and lived in a 3-6-person household (n = 2438, 48.2%). A fifth of them belonged to households with the poorest wealth status (n = 1046, 20.7%) (Table 1).
Table 1
Sociodemographic factors of the HAALSI population (N = 5059), enrolled between November 2014 - November 2015
Characteristic | Categories | Sex | Totala |
| | Male | Female | | |
| | n | % | n | % | n | % |
Age | 40–49 | 418 | 17.8 | 500 | 18.4 | 918 | 18.2 |
50–59 | 624 | 26.6 | 786 | 29.0 | 1410 | 27.9 |
60–69 | 643 | 27.4 | 661 | 24.4 | 1304 | 25.8 |
70–79 | 446 | 19.0 | 432 | 15.9 | 878 | 17.4 |
80+ | 214 | 9.1 | 335 | 12.3 | 549 | 10.9 |
Total | 2345 | 100 | 2714 | 100 | 5059 | 100 |
Body Mass Index | Underweight | 188 | 8.7 | 70 | 2.8 | 258 | 5.5 |
Normal | 1019 | 47.2 | 700 | 27.7 | 1719 | 36.7 |
Overweight | 611 | 28.3 | 717 | 28.3 | 1328 | 28.3 |
Obese | 341 | 15.8 | 1043 | 41.2 | 1384 | 29.5 |
Total | 2159 | 100 | 2530 | 100 | 4689 | 100 |
Employment Status | Employed (part or full-time) | 443 | 19.0 | 362 | 13.4 | 805 | 16.0 |
Not working | 1709 | 73 | 2010 | 74.3 | 3719 | 73.7 |
Homemaker | 186 | 8 | 335 | 12.4 | 521 | 10.3 |
Total | 2338 | 100 | 2707 | 100 | 5045 | 100 |
Educational Level | No formal education | 957 | 40.9 | 1349 | 49.9 | 2306 | 45.7 |
Some primary (1–7 years) | 833 | 35.6 | 883 | 32.7 | 1716 | 34 |
Some secondary (8–11 years) | 314 | 13.4 | 260 | 9.6 | 574 | 11.4 |
Secondary or more (12 years or more) | 234 | 10 | 212 | 7.8 | 446 | 8.9 |
Total | 2338 | 100 | 2704 | 100 | 5042 | 100 |
Marital status | Never married | 166 | 7.1 | 124 | 4.6 | 290 | 5.7 |
Separated/divorced | 300 | 12.8 | 350 | 12.9 | 650 | 12.9 |
Widowed | 276 | 11.8 | 1264 | 46.6 | 1540 | 30.5 |
Currently married | 1602 | 68.3 | 973 | 35.9 | 2575 | 51 |
Total | 2334 | 100 | 2711 | 100 | 5055 | 100 |
Number of individuals living in household | Living alone | 330 | 14.1 | 204 | 7.5 | 534 | 10.6 |
Living with one other | 257 | 11 | 281 | 10.4 | 538 | 10.6 |
Living in 3-6-person household | 1055 | 45 | 1383 | 51 | 2438 | 48.2 |
Living in 7 + household | 703 | 30 | 846 | 31.2 | 1549 | 30.6 |
Total | 2345 | 100 | 2714 | 100 | 5059 | 100 |
Wealth asset index | Poorest | 502 | 21.4 | 544 | 20 | 1046 | 20.7 |
2 | 455 | 19.4 | 546 | 20.1 | 1001 | 19.8 |
3 | 450 | 19.2 | 541 | 19.9 | 991 | 19.6 |
4 | 457 | 19.5 | 550 | 20.3 | 1007 | 19.9 |
Richest | 481 | 20.5 | 533 | 19.6 | 1014 | 20 |
Total | 2345 | 100 | 2714 | 100 | 5059 | 100 |
Country of origin | South Africa | 1663 | 70.9 | 1865 | 68.8 | 3528 | 69.8 |
Mozambique/Other | 682 | 29.1 | 844 | 31.2 | 1526 | 30.2 |
Total | 2345 | 100 | 2709 | 100 | 5054 | 100 |
a Total of males and females combined |
Prevalence of reported alcohol use and multimorbidity
Almost half of the participants (n = 2253, 44.6%) reported ever used alcohol, with half of them reporting alcohol use in the last 30 days (n = 1171, 51.9%). Amongst those who reported alcohol use in the last 30 days the most frequent group were those who consumed alcohol at least once a week (n = 619, 52.9%), while the rest consumed it at least once a month.
The overall prevalence of multimorbidity with HIV was 59.6% (n = 3014) and was similar in both males and females. The prevalence of multimorbidity without HIV was 52.5% (n = 2657) and was similar in males and females (Table 2).
Table 2
Alcohol use patterns, multimorbidity with and without HIV patterns amongst participants of the HAALSI study (N = 5059), enrolled between November 2014 - November 2015
Characteristic | Categories | Sex | Totala |
| | Male | Female | | |
| | n | %b | n | %b | n | %b |
Ever | No | 771 | 32.9 | 2032 | 74.9 | 2803 | 55.4 |
| Yes | 1572 | 67.1 | 681 | 25.1 | 2253 | 44.6 |
| Total | 2343 | 100 | 2713 | 100 | 5056 | 100 |
Last 30 days | No | 660 | 42 | 424 | 62.1 | 1084 | 48.1 |
| Yes | 912 | 58 | 259 | 37.9 | 1171 | 51.9 |
| Total | 1572 | 100 | 683 | 100 | 2255 | 100 |
Frequency of consumption (among those who reported alcohol use in last 30 days) | At least once a week | 519 | 57 | 100 | 38.6 | 619 | 52.9 |
At least once a month | 392 | 43 | 159 | 61.4 | 551 | 47.1 |
Total | 911 | 100 | 259 | 100 | 1170 | 100 |
Multimorbidity with HIV | No chronic conditions | 305 | 13 | 261 | 9.6 | 566 | 11.2 |
1 chronic condition | 728 | 31 | 751 | 27.7 | 1479 | 29.2 |
2 or more chronic conditions | 1312 | 56 | 1702 | 62.7 | 3014 | 59.6 |
Total | 2345 | 100 | 2714 | 100 | 5059 | 100 |
Multimorbidity without HIV | No chronic conditions | 384 | 16.4 | 325 | 12 | 709 | 14 |
1 chronic condition | 827 | 35.3 | 866 | 31.9 | 1693 | 33.5 |
2 or more chronic conditions | 1134 | 48.4 | 1523 | 1523 | 2657 | 52.5 |
Total | 2345 | 100 | 2714 | 100 | 5059 | 100 |
a Total of males and females combined |
b Column percentage |
Alcohol use and multimorbidity with HIV
Reported alcohol use was associated with multimorbidity with HIV. Specifically, those reporting ever using alcohol had 5% increased risk of multimorbidity with HIV (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02–1.08), compared to those who had never used alcohol before. This was similar in males (RR: 1.05, 95%CI: 1.00-1.10) and females (RR: 1.06, 95%CI: 1.02–1.11). The reported current alcohol use was associated with 3% lower risk of multimorbidity with HIV among all participants (RR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94–1.01) and among females (RR: 0.97, 95%CI: 0.91–1.04) and 2% lower risk of multimorbidity with HIV (RR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.94–1.03) in males but these were not statistically significant.
Other factors associated with multimorbidity with HIV
Among all participants
Other factors that were significantly associated with multimorbidity with HIV among all participants were BMI – specifically, the overweight category had a 10% higher risk (RR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.05–1.16) and the obese category had a 12%higher risk (RR:1.12, 95%CI:1.09–1.16) compared to the normal weight category; marital status – especially in those reporting being separated or divorced (RR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.05–1.22) and widowed (RR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.05–1.21) in comparison to those who had never been married before. On the contrary, the following factors were found to be protective against multimorbidity with HIV: education – specifically those who reporting completed secondary education or more had an 8% lower risk (RR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87–0.98) when compared to those who had no formal education; and individuals living in a 3-6-person household who had a 5% lower risk (RR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91–0.99) compared to those living alone.
Among females
Among females, other factors that were significantly associated with multimorbidity with HIV were: marital status – those reporting being separated or divorced had a 14% higher risk (RR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.03–1.25), whereas educational level had protective effect with those who completed secondary level or more having a 10% lower risk (RR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.83–0.98).
Among males
Among males, factors that were significantly associated with multimorbidity with HIV were: BMI – those in the overweight and obese categories had 10% higher risk (RR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.05–1.16) and 15% (RR: 1.15, 95%CI:1.09–1.21) respectively compared to normal weight category. ; marital status – those who were widowed had a 19% higher risk (RR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05–1.34) and those who reporting currently married had a 14% higher risk (RR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.02–1.27); and wealth index – those in the richest category (RR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03–1.18) compared to those in the poorest wealth category. (Table 3). However, protective factors included individuals living in a 3-6-person household – who had an 11% lower risk (RR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.83–0.96).
Table 3
Association between alcohol use and multimorbidity with HIV, and associated factors among participants of a rural South African population of the HAALSI study, enrolled between November 2014 - November 2015 (according to modified Poisson)
Multimorbidity with HIV |
Characteristic | Category | All | Males | Females |
| | Na | RRb | 95% CI | P-valuec | Na | RRb | 95% CI | P-valuec | Na | RRb | 95% CI | P-valuec |
Alcohol Use | Never | 2801 | 1.00 | | < 0.001 | 771 | 1.00 | | 0.036 | 2030 | 1.00 | | 0.008 |
| Ever | 1084 | 1.05 | 1.02–1.08 | | 660 | 1.05 | 1.00-1.10 | | 424 | 1.06 | 1.02–1.11 | |
| Current | 1171 | 0.97 | 0.94–1.01 | | 912 | 0.98 | 0.94–1.03 | | 259 | 0.97 | 0.91–1.04 | |
Respondent Sex | Male | 2345 | 1.00 | | 0.604 | | | | | | | | |
| Female | 2714 | 1.01 | 0.98–1.04 | | | | | | | | | |
Age (years) | 40–49 | 918 | 1.00 | | 0.171 | 418 | 1.00 | | 0.161 | 500 | 1.00 | | 0.152 |
50–59 | 1410 | 1.04 | 0.99–1.08 | | 624 | 1.00 | 0.93–1.08 | | 786 | 1.05 | 0.99–1.11 | |
60–69 | 1304 | 1.05 | 1.00-1.10 | | 643 | 1.03 | 0.96–1.11 | | 661 | 1.05 | 0.99–1.11 | |
70–79 | 878 | 1.03 | 0.97–1.08 | | 446 | 1.01 | 0.93–1.10 | | 432 | 1.00 | 0.94–1.07 | |
80+ | 549 | 1.06 | 1.00-1.12 | | 214 | 1.10 | 1.00-1.20 | | 335 | 1.00 | 0.93–1.08 | |
Body mass index | Underweight | 258 | 0.93 | 0.87–1.01 | < 0.001 | 188 | 0.90 | 0.82–0.99 | < 0.001 | 70 | 1.04 | 0.94–1.15 | < 0.001 |
Normal | 1719 | 1 | | | 1019 | 1 | | | 700 | 1 | | |
Overweight | 1328 | 1.10 | 1.06–1.13 | | 611 | 1.10 | 1.05–1.16 | | 717 | 1.08 | 1.03–1.13 | |
Obese | 1384 | 1.12 | 1.09–1.16 | | 341 | 1.15 | 1.09–1.21 | | 1043 | 1.11 | 1.06–1.16 | |
Employment status | Employed (part or full time) | 805 | 1.00 | | 0.872 | 443 | 1.00 | | 0.981 | 362 | 1.00 | | 0.937 |
Not Working | 3719 | 0.99 | 0.95–1.04 | | 1709 | 1.00 | 0.94–1.06 | | 2010 | 0.99 | 0.94–1.05 | |
Homemaker | 521 | 1.00 | 0.95–1.05 | | 186 | 1.01 | 0.92–1.10 | | 335 | 0.99 | 0.93–1.06 | |
Education | No formal education | 2306 | 1.00 | | 0.048 | 957 | 1.00 | | 0.337 | 1349 | 1.00 | | 0.041 |
Some primary education (1–7 years) | 1716 | 1.01 | 0.98–1.04 | | 833 | 1.00 | 0.95–1.04 | | 883 | 1.02 | 0.98–1.05 | |
Some secondary education (8–11 years) | 574 | 0.99 | 0.95–1.04 | | 314 | 0.96 | 0.90–1.03 | | 260 | 1.01 | 0.95–1.08 | |
Secondary or more (12+) | 446 | 0.92 | 0.87–0.98 | | 234 | 0.93 | 0.85–1.02 | | 212 | 0.90 | 0.83–0.98 | |
Marital status | Never married | 290 | 1.00 | | < 0.001 | 166 | 1.00 | | 0.044 | 124 | 1.00 | | < 0.001 |
Separated or divorced | 650 | 1.13 | 1.05–1.22 | | 300 | 1.10 | 0.98–1.24 | | 350 | 1.14 | 1.03–1.25 | |
Widowed | 1540 | 1.13 | 1.05–1.21 | | 276 | 1.19 | 1.05–1.34 | | 1264 | 1.08 | 0.99–1.19 | |
Currently married | 2575 | 1.07 | 1.00-1.15 | | 1602 | 1.14 | 1.02–1.27 | | 973 | 1.01 | 0.92–1.11 | |
Number of individuals living in household | Living alone | 534 | 1.00 | | 0.013 | 330 | 1.00 | | 0.004 | | | | |
Living with one other | 538 | 0.96 | 0.90–1.02 | | 257 | 0.93 | 0.85–1.02 | | | | | |
Living in 3–6-person household | 2438 | 0.95 | 0.91–0.99 | | 1055 | 0.89 | 0.83–0.96 | | | | | |
Living in 7 + person household | 1549 | 0.99 | 0.94–1.04 | | 703 | 0.94 | 0.87–1.02 | | | | | |
Wealth asset index | Poorest | 1046 | 1.00 | | 0.326 | 502 | 1.00 | | 0.024 | 544 | 1.00 | | 0.724 |
2 | 1001 | 0.99 | 0.95–1.04 | | 455 | 1.03 | 0.96–1.10 | | 546 | 0.97 | 0.92–1.02 | |
3 | 991 | 0.99 | 0.95–1.03 | | 450 | 1.01 | 0.95–1.08 | | 541 | 0.97 | 0.92–1.02 | |
4 | 1007 | 1.02 | 0.98–1.06 | | 457 | 1.07 | 1.00-1.14 | | 550 | 0.99 | 0.94–1.04 | |
Richest | 1014 | 1.03 | 0.98–1.07 | | 481 | 1.10 | 1.03–1.18 | | 533 | 0.97 | 0.92–1.03 | |
a Sample of each exposure category |
b Relative risk from modified Poisson regression |
c The overall P-value for trend across all categories of individual variable |
Alcohol use and multimorbidity without HIV
Reported alcohol use was associated with multimorbidity without HIV. Specifically, those reporting ever used alcohol (compared to those who had never used it before) had 5% higher risk of multimorbidity without HIV (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02–1.09) among all participants and this was similar in males (RR: 1.06, 95%CI: 1.00-1.12) and females (RR: 1.06, 95%CI: 1.01–1.11). The reported current alcohol use was associated with 3% lower risk of multimorbidity without HIV among all participants (RR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.93–1.01) and among females (RR: 0.95, 95%CI: 0.89–1.03) and 1% lower risk of multimorbidity without HIV in males (RR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.94–1.05) although not statistically significant.
Other factors associated with multimorbidity without HIV
Among all participants
Others factors associated with multimorbidity without HIV among all participants included age – compared to the reference age category of 40–49 years those aged 50–59 years had 10%higher risk (RR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.05–1.16), those in the 60–69 year old age category had 16% higher risk (RR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.10–1.22), those aged 70–79 years had 18% higher risk (RR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.11–1.25), and 80 + years had a 26%higher risk (RR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.18–1.34); BMI – those in overweight category had a 15% higher risk (RR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.11–1.20), and obese individuals had a 20% higher risk (RR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.16–1.25); marital status – those separated or divorced had a 15% higher risk (RR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.05–1.26), widowed individuals had an 11% higher risk (RR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02–1.22), and those who were currently married had a 12% higher risk (RR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.03–1.22).
Among females
Among females, other factors that were significantly associated with multimorbidity without HIV were: age – those aged 50–59 years had an 11% higher risk (RR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.04–1.18), 60–69 years-olds (RR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.07–1.23) and 70–79 year olds (RR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.06–1.24) both had 14% higher risk, and those aged 80 + years had 18% higher risk (RR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.09–1.29); BMI – among those in the overweight and obese categories; and marital status: those separated or divorced had 21% higher risk (RR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.07–1.37) and those who were widowed had a 15% higher risk (RR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.02–1.29).
Among males
Among males, other factors that were significantly associated with multimorbidity without HIV were: age – 60–69 years olds had 17%higher risk (RR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07–1.27), 70–79 year olds had 19% higher risk (RR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.09–1.31), and 80 + year olds had 34% higher risk (RR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.21–1.49); BMI – among those categorized as overweight and obese, specifically, the overweight had 17% higher risk (RR:1.17, 95% CI: 1.11–1.23), and being obese had 22% higher risk (RR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.15–1.30); and wealth asset index: the richest category had 9% higher risk (RR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.01–1.18)(Table 4).
Table 4
Association between alcohol use and multimorbidity without HIV, and associated factors among participants of a rural South African population of the HAALSI study, enrolled between November 2014 - November 2015 (according to modified Poisson)
Multimorbidity without HIV |
Characteristic | Category | All | Males | Females |
| | Na | RRb | 95% CI | P-valuec | Na | RRb | 95% CI | P-valuec | Na | RRb | 95% CI | P-valuec |
Alcohol Use | Never | 2801 | 1.00 | | < 0.001 | 771 | 1.00 | | 0.052 | 2030 | 1.00 | | 0.013 |
| Ever | 1084 | 1.05 | 1.02–1.09 | | 660 | 1.06 | 1.00-1.12 | | 424 | 1.06 | 1.01–1.11 | |
| Current | 1171 | 0.97 | 0.93–1.01 | | 912 | 0.99 | 0.94–1.05 | | 259 | 0.95 | 0.89–1.03 | |
Respondent Sex | Male | 2345 | 1.00 | | 0.218 | | | | | | | | |
| Female | 2714 | 1.03 | 0.99–1.06 | | | | | | | | | |
Age (years) | 40–49 | 918 | 1.00 | | < 0.001 | 418 | 1.00 | | < 0.001 | 500 | 1.00 | | 0.001 |
50–59 | 1410 | 1.10 | 1.05–1.16 | | 624 | 1.08 | 0.99–1.17 | | 786 | 1.11 | 1.04–1.18 | |
60–69 | 1304 | 1.16 | 1.10–1.22 | | 643 | 1.17 | 1.07–1.27 | | 661 | 1.14 | 1.07–1.23 | |
70–79 | 878 | 1.18 | 1.11–1.25 | | 446 | 1.19 | 1.09–1.31 | | 432 | 1.14 | 1.06–1.24 | |
80+ | 549 | 1.26 | 1.18–1.34 | | 214 | 1.34 | 1.21–1.49 | | 335 | 1.18 | 1.09–1.29 | |
Body mass index | Underweight | 258 | 0.91 | 0.84–0.99 | < 0.001 | 188 | 0.87 | 0.78–0.97 | < 0.001 | 70 | 1.03 | 0.91–1.16 | < 0.001 |
Normal | 1719 | 1 | | | 1019 | 1 | | | 700 | 1 | | |
Overweight | 1328 | 1.15 | 1.11–1.20 | | 611 | 1.17 | 1.11–1.23 | | 717 | 1.13 | 1.07–1.19 | |
Obese | 1384 | 1.20 | 1.16–1.25 | | 341 | 1.22 | 1.15–1.30 | | 1043 | 1.18 | 1.13–1.25 | |
Employment status | Employed (part or full time) | 805 | 1.00 | | 0.708 | 443 | 1.00 | | 0.523 | 362 | 1.00 | | 0.93 |
Not Working | 3719 | 1.01 | 0.96–1.06 | | 1709 | 1.02 | 0.95–1.09 | | 2010 | 0.99 | 0.93–1.06 | |
Homemaker | 521 | 1.02 | 0.96–1.09 | | 186 | 1.06 | 0.96–1.16 | | 335 | 1.00 | 0.92–1.08 | |
Education | No formal education | 2306 | 1.00 | | 0.218 | 957 | 1.00 | | 0.705 | 1349 | 1.00 | | 0.168 |
Some primary education (1–7 years) | 1716 | 1.02 | 0.99–1.05 | | 833 | 1.02 | 0.97–1.08 | | 883 | 1.02 | 0.98–1.06 | |
Some secondary education (8–11 years) | 574 | 0.99 | 0.93–1.04 | | 314 | 0.98 | 0.91–1.06 | | 260 | 0.99 | 0.92–1.06 | |
Secondary or more (12+) | 446 | 0.96 | 0.89–1.02 | | 234 | 0.99 | 0.90–1.10 | | 212 | 0.92 | 0.83–1.01 | |
Marital status | Never married | 290 | 1.00 | | 0.029 | 166 | 1.00 | | 0.621 | 124 | 1.00 | | 0.016 |
Separated or divorced | 650 | 1.15 | 1.05–1.26 | | 300 | 1.07 | 0.93–1.22 | | 350 | 1.21 | 1.07–1.37 | |
Widowed | 1540 | 1.11 | 1.02–1.22 | | 276 | 0.98 | 0.94–1.24 | | 1264 | 1.15 | 1.02–1.29 | |
Currently married | 2575 | 1.12 | 1.03–1.22 | | 1602 | 0.99 | 0.96–1.24 | | 973 | 1.13 | 1.00-1.28 | |
Number of individuals living in household | Living alone | 534 | 1.00 | | 0.006 | 330 | 1.00 | | 0.008 | 204 | 1.00 | | 0.315 |
Living with one other | 538 | 0.96 | 0.90–1.02 | | 257 | 0.92 | 0.83–1.03 | | 281 | 0.96 | 0.88–1.05 | |
Living in 3–6-person household | 2438 | 0.96 | 0.91–1.02 | | 1055 | 0.92 | 0.84-1.00 | | 1383 | 0.97 | 0.90–1.05 | |
Living in 7 + person household | 1549 | 1.02 | 0.96–1.08 | | 703 | 0.99 | 0.90–1.09 | | 846 | 1.01 | 0.93–1.09 | |
Wealth asset index | Poorest | 1046 | 1.00 | | 0.184 | 502 | 1.00 | | 0.046 | 544 | 1.00 | | 0.837 |
2 | 1001 | 1.00 | 0.96–1.05 | | 455 | 1.03 | 0.96–1.12 | | 546 | 0.98 | 0.92–1.04 | |
3 | 991 | 0.97 | 0.93–1.02 | | 450 | 0.99 | 0.92–1.07 | | 541 | 0.97 | 0.91–1.03 | |
4 | 1007 | 1.02 | 0.97–1.07 | | 457 | 1.07 | 0.99–1.15 | | 550 | 0.99 | 0.94–1.05 | |
Richest | 1014 | 1.03 | 0.98–1.08 | | 481 | 1.09 | 1.01–1.18 | | 533 | 0.99 | 0.92–1.05 | |
a Sample of each exposure category |
b Relative risk from modified Poisson regression |
c The overall P-value for trend across all categories of individual variable |
Sensitivity Analyses
We performed a sensitivity analysis to assess the association between alcohol use and multimorbidity using these reported alcohol use frequency categories: “never”, “ever”, “at least once in the last 30 days”, and “at least once a week”. Similar results were obtained for both multimorbidity with HIV and multimorbidity without HIV (Supplementary Tables 7 and 8). This was done to determine the impact of alcohol dose frequency on multimorbidity, and findings were similar to the presented alcohol use categories.