Syringe exchange not associated with social network formation: results from Baltimore.
OBJECTIVE
To examine possible formation of new social contacts at the Baltimore Syringe Exchange Program (SEP).


METHODS
Systematic sub-sample of new SEP participants recruited into evaluation cohort for biannual interviews. This analysis used 6-month interview data.


METHODS
Participants were interviewed for behavioral and network characteristics, and number of new social contacts formed at the SEP. Variables were cross-tabulated using chi2 statistics.


RESULTS
Of 413 participants interviewed, 32 (8%) said they had made at least one social contact at the SEP. These 32 individuals were more likely to have engaged in commercial sex (16 versus 3%, P = 0.005) and, among active injectors, were more likely to have used syringes obtained from other drug users (22 versus 8%, P = 0.026).


CONCLUSIONS
Findings argue against the formation of new social networks (and therefore new disease transmission networks) in the context of syringe exchange participation.
Junge
B
B
Department of Epidemiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
Valente
T
T
Latkin
C
C
Riley
E
E
Vlahov
D
D
D000328:Adult; D015142:Baltimore; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013594:Syringes