title: Correlates of drug injection behaviors among methadone outpatients.
abstract: Intravenous drug use, which has been recognized as the second most common risk behavior associated with AIDS, was studied among methadone outpatients who were enrolled in a methadone program at a hospital-based clinic in New York City. Intercorrelations among the following variables were observed: sociodemographic, psychological, drug use patterns, and criminal history. Then a stepwise discriminant analysis was employed to examine factors differentiating the high risk clients from the lower risk clients in terms of needle use/sharing in the 30 days prior to the interview. The subjects (N = 152) were heterosexual (95%), non-White (63%), had no more than 12 years of education (72%), were not full-time employed (65%), and had been arrested at least once (79%). The median age at the time of entering the methadone treatment was 33 and the median length of stay in the treatment was 17.5 months (mean = 44.7 months), with an average 52 mg of methadone dosage. Results indicated that risk behavior in terms of current needle use/sharing occurred in about 16% of a sample of clients in the methadone maintenance. A shorter length of stay in treatment was the strongest predictor of high risk, followed by early arrest history, ethnicity, depression, and employment status.
authors.affiliation: Narcotic and Drug Research, Inc., New York, New York 10013.
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Leon
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D000328:Adult; D003042:Cocaine; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012008:Recurrence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine; D008691:Methadone