The onset of drug injection among sex partners of injection drug users.
HIV prevention interventions targeting noninjecting sex partners of drug injectors usually focus on sexual behaviors. This strategy may underestimate the likelihood that sex partners will begin injecting drug and thereby greatly increase their exposure to HIV. This 4-year prospective study assesses the incidence of drug injection among 62 street-recruited, heterosexual, HIV negative, baseline noninjection sex partners, 97% of whom were reinterviewed at least once. Sixteen (26%) of the sex partners reported injecting after baseline. Thirty-nine percent of those with no history of illicit drug use beyond marijuana began injecting, compared with 19% of those who had used drugs but had never injected and 11% of those with injection histories. There were two HIV seroconversions, both of which took place soon after the onset of injection and appear attributable to parenteral transmission. These results suggest that interventions targeting sex partners should include strategies for preventing injection and risky injection practices.
Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois, Chicago 60612, USA.
L J
LJ
Ouellet
A
A
Rahimian
W W
WW
Wiebel
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014504:Urban Health