The Unique Challenges Facing HIV-Positive Patients Who Smoke Cigarettes: HIV Viremia, Art Adherence, Engagement in HIV care, and Concurrent Substance Use

Abstract

Evidence suggests that smoking may have negative associations with HIV health outcomes. The smoking rate in our sample of people living with HIV (N = 333) was triple that of the general population (57 v. 19 %). Regression analyses revealed that (smokers v. non-smokers) reported lower medication adherence (unstandardized beta = 9.01) and were more likely to have a detectable viral load (OR = 2.85, 95 % CI [1.53–5.30]). Smokers attended fewer routine medical visits (β = −0.16) and were more likely to report recent hospitalization (OR = 1.89, 95 % CI [0.99, 3.57]). Smokers ranked “health” as less important to their quality of life (β = −0.13) and were more likely to report problematic alcohol (OR = 2.40, 95 % CI [1.35, 4.30]), cocaine (OR = 2.87, 95 % CI [1.48–5.58]), heroin (OR = 4.75, 95 % CI [1.01, 22.30]), or marijuana use (OR = 3.08, 95 % CI [1.76–5.38]). Findings underscore the need for integrated behavioral smoking cessation interventions and routine tobacco screenings in HIV primary care.