Prevalence and Risk Factors for HIV Among Sniffers, Short-Term Injectors, and Long-Term Injectors of Heroin

The prevalence of HIV and associated risk behaviors were assessed among three groups of heroin users: long term injection drug users (LTIDUs). new injection drug users (NIDUs), and heroin sniffers (HSs) with no history of injection. HIV seroprevalence was similar among NIDUs (13.3%) and HSs (12.7%)....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of psychoactive drugs 2003-10, Vol.35 (4), p.445-453
Main Authors: Chitwood, Dale D., Comerford, Mary, Sanchez, Jesús
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Confidence Intervals
Female
Heroin
heroin sniffers
HIV Infections - complications
HIV Infections - epidemiology
HIV/AIDS
Humans
injection drug users
Logistic Models
Male
Odds Ratio
Prevalence
Risk Factors
sex risk
Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data
Substance Abuse, Intravenous - complications
Substance Abuse, Intravenous - epidemiology
Substance-Related Disorders - complications
Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology
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Summary:The prevalence of HIV and associated risk behaviors were assessed among three groups of heroin users: long term injection drug users (LTIDUs). new injection drug users (NIDUs), and heroin sniffers (HSs) with no history of injection. HIV seroprevalence was similar among NIDUs (13.3%) and HSs (12.7%). LTIDUs had almost twice as high a level of HIV infection (24.7%). A fter including drug use and sex behavior variables in logistic regression models, both drug and sexual risk factors remained in the models. Attributable risk percent (APR) from injection for HIV infection among injection drug users was estimated to be 55.7% for LTIDUs and 5.8% for NIDUs. High-risk sex behavior plays an important role in the prevalence of HIV among drug users and accounts for nearly all the infection among NIDUs. Both injection and sexual risk behaviors need to be stressed in HIV prevention and intervention programs aimed at drug users.
ISSN:0279-1072
2159-9777
DOI:10.1080/02791072.2003.10400491