Puerto Rican injection drug users: Prevention implications in Massachusetts and Puerto Rico.
This study examines whether place of residence is a factor associated with reporting a positive HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C (HCV), or Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) status in a sample of 400 injection drug users (IDUs) residing on the Island of Puerto Rico (N=139) and in western Massachusetts (N=261). Logistic regression models revealed that IDUs residing in western Massachusetts were 66% less likely to be HIV positive compared to IDUs residing in Puerto Rico (p<.000) while IDUs residing in western Massachusetts were about 67% less likely to have a positive STD status than those residing in Puerto Rico (p<.000). Place of residence was not significantly associated with HCV status. Results indicate the need to develop prevention programs tailored to the unique socio-cultural context of Puerto Rican IDUs residing on the Island of Puerto Rico whose circumstances differ from those in the mainland US. To reduce drug use, HIV/AIDS, HCV, and STDs among Puerto Ricans in both locales, the Capacity Enhancement Model is proposed in order to develop more effective prevention programs.
López
Luz Marilis
LM
Boston University School of Social Work, 264 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215, USA. luzlopez@bu.edu
Zerden
Lisa de Saxe
Lde S
Fitzgerald
Therese C
TC
Lundgren
Lena M
LM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D011336:Probability; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012309:Risk-Taking; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015996:Survival Rate