Predictors of sharing injection equipment by HIV-seropositive injection drug users.
Among HIV-positive injection drug users (IDUs), we examined baseline predictors of lending needles and syringes and sharing cookers, cotton, and rinse water in the prior 3 months at follow-up. Participants were enrolled in Intervention for Seropositive Injectors-Research and Evaluation, a secondary prevention intervention for sexually active HIV-positive IDUs in 4 US cities during 2001-2005. The analyses involved 357 participants who reported injecting drugs in the prior 6 months at either the 6- or 12-month follow-up visit. About half (49%) reported at least 1 sharing episode. In adjusted analyses, peer norms supporting safer injection practices and having primary HIV medical care visits in the prior 6 months were associated with reporting no sharing of injection equipment. Higher levels of psychological distress were associated with a greater likelihood of reporting drug paraphernalia sharing. These findings suggest that intervention approaches for reducing HIV-seropositive IDUs' transmission of blood-borne infections should include peer-focused interventions to alter norms of drug paraphernalia sharing and promoting primary HIV care and mental health services.
Latkin
Carl A
CA
Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, Room 737, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. clatkin@jhsph.edu
Buchanan
Amy S
AS
Metsch
Lisa R
LR
Knight
Kelly
K
Latka
Mary H
MH
Mizuno
Yuko
Y
Knowlton
Amy R
AR
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*