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Among HIV-infected patients, blacks have worse outcomes than whites — a fact that has been documented repeatedly yet never adequately explained. Researchers sought to explore the association by quantitating the effects of problematic alcohol/drug use and treatment for substance use on appointment-keeping and virologic suppression among black patients receiving care at a Birmingham, Alabama, clinic.
Most of the 576 participants were male and were newly enrolled in the clinic. At interview, 50% were uninsured, 64% reported “mental health issues,” 34% reported problematic alcohol or drug use during the preceding year, 19% reported long-term at-risk drug or alcohol use, and 13% were receiving or had recently received substance use treatment. The…