title: The harm inside: injection during incarceration among male injection drug users in Tijuana, Mexico.
abstract: Limited access to sterile syringes and condoms in correctional facilities make these settings high risk environments for HIV transmission. Although incarceration among injection drug users (IDUs) is common, there is limited information regarding specific IDU risk behaviors inside. We examined correlates of incarceration, injection inside and syringe sharing inside among male IDUs recruited in Tijuana, Mexico, using respondent driven sampling (RDS) (n=898). An interviewer administered survey collected data on sociodemographic, behavioral and contextual characteristics. Associations with (a) history of incarceration, (b) injection inside, and (c) syringe sharing inside were identified using univariate and multiple logistic regression models with RDS adjustment. Seventy-six percent of IDUs had been incarcerated, of whom 61% injected inside. Three quarters (75%) of those who injected shared syringes. U.S. deportation [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=1.61; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07, 2.43] and migration (AOR=1.81; 95% CI: 1.12, 2.95) were independently associated with incarceration. Injection inside was independently associated with recent receptive syringe sharing (AOR=2.46; 95% CI: 1.75, 3.45) and having sex with a man while incarcerated (AOR=3.59; 95% CI: 1.65, 7.83). Sharing syringes inside was independently associated with having sex with a man while incarcerated (AOR=6.18; 95% CI: 1.78, 21.49). A majority of incarcerated IDUs reported injecting and syringe sharing during incarceration, and these IDUs were more likely to engage in sex with other men. Corrections-based interventions to reduce injection and syringe sharing are urgently needed, as are risk reduction interventions for male IDUs who have sex with men while incarcerated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Global Public Health, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0628, USA. rpollini@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Robin A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Pollini
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alvelais
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vera
authors.forename: Remedios
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lozada
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magis-Rodriquez
authors.forename: Steffanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Strathdee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011329:Prisoners; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D012201:Reward; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology; D013587:Syphilis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D013594:Syringes; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult