Migrant drug users: predictors of HIV-related sexual and injection risk behaviors.
BACKGROUND
Puerto Rican drug users recruited in NY who previously used drugs in Puerto Rico (PR) have been found to have higher HIV injection and sex-related risk behaviors than those who had not used in PR. This study examined predictors of risk among migrant Puerto Rican drug users. (For the purpose of this paper, the term "migrant" was used to designate Puerto Rican drug users who had used drugs in Puerto Rico and were recruited in New York or New Jersey).


METHODS
A total of 290 drug users who had previously used drugs in PR were recruited in NY and New Jersey and interviewed regarding drug use history and HIV risk behaviors.


RESULTS
Participants engaged in high risk behaviors, e.g., 39% shared injection paraphernalia and 62% reported unprotected sex. Multivariate analyses found that predictors of injection-related risk included being born in PR and purchasing drugs jointly with other drug users; predictors of sex-related risk included younger age and homelessness.


CONCLUSIONS
Addressing risk reduction among those drug users who were born in Puerto Rico and are younger or homeless was indicated, and efforts to reach those at highest risk through NEPs was recommended.
Deren
Sherry
S
National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, New York, NY 10010, USA. Deren@ndri.org
Kang
Sung-Yeon
SY
Mino
Milton
M
Guarino
Honoria
H
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000208:ethnology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D013287:Illicit Drugs