Substance use in older HIV-infected patients

Substance use may persist throughout the life course and has a substantial impact on health outcomes globally. As HIV-infected individuals are disproportionately impacted by substance use and living longer, it is critical that providers and researchers alike understand the impact of substance use on older, HIV-infected patients and potential treatment options. To this end, we conducted a review of the literature focusing on the most commonly used substances to outline the epidemiology, health consequences, treatment options and latest research relevant to older, HIV-infected patients.

Substance use impacts older, HIV-infected patients with regards to HIV-related and non-HIV-related outcomes. Counseling strategies are available for marijuana and stimulant use disorders. Brief counseling is useful alongside medications for alcohol, tobacco and opioid use disorders. Many medications for alcohol, tobacco and opioid use disorders are safe in the setting of antiretroviral therapy. Unfortunately, few interventions targeting substance use in older, HIV-infected patients have been developed and evaluated.

As older, HIV-infected patients continue to experience substance use and its related health consequences, there will be a growing need for the development of safe and effective interventions, which address the complex needs of this population.