Report reveals gays are heavier drinkers

Medical experts have reported high use of alcohol among gays in Nairobi, Kisumu and at the Coast and want more resources set aside to alleviate the growing problem.

A study involving 1,476 gays and bisexuals from the three regions shows 44 per cent are in hazardous alcohol use, 51 per cent in problematic substance use while a third are depressed.

The study carried out by the Kenya Medical Research Institute, US, UK and Canadian universities and the University of Nairobi also reported a majority in the study group, 932 or 63 per cent, to be involved in commercial sex work.

Of the total, 537 were from Nairobi, 241 from the Coast and 698 from Kisumu, with 19 per cent living with HIV.

The report says the group of gays involved in commercial sex work were likely to be into high alcohol use due to meeting of clients in pubs.

The 44 per cent prevalence of hazardous alcohol use among the gays, the researchers say, is higher than the 5.8 per cent prevalence reported for men in the general Kenyan population.

“Given the health effects of alcohol and substance use, we suggest that interventions to address these problems and underlying factors be put into place,” say the authors.

Similarly, the report says the 31 per cent rate of depression in this group is also much higher than the 4.4 per cent prevalence found in the general population of Kenyan males.

The experts attribute these high rates of alcohol, substance use and depression among gays in Kenya mainly to abuse in childhood or recent adult trauma or abuse. The report indicates that because of stigma and criminalisation of gays in Kenya, they are exposed to high rates of violence from clients, the community and law enforcers.