title: Fumando la piedra: emerging patterns of crack use among Latino immigrant day laborers in New Orleans.
abstract: The devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina have contributed to a dynamic demographic shift in the Latino composition of New Orleans. This article focuses on a particularly deleterious pattern of crack cocaine smoking associated with numerous social and health consequences. Utilizing a rapid assessment methodology, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 52 Latino immigrant day laborers in New Orleans. Findings reveal that the presence of a flourishing drug market has facilitated and maintained patterns of crack use including initiation and periods of daily use. Moreover, feelings of isolation and constant exposure to victimization due to day laborers' marginal status are described as contributing to this use. This qualitative analysis reveals how social processes and contextual factors contribute to crack use among Latino day laborers in a post-disaster context. This study has important public health implications in the spread of HIV and other blood borne pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Center for Drug and Social Policy Research, Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, 110HA Social Work Building, Houston, TX 77204-4013, USA. avaldez2@uh.edu
authors.forename: Avelardo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valdez
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cepeda
authors.forename: Nalini Junko
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Negi
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D016578:Crack Cocaine; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004190:Disasters; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D004651:Employment; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012934:Social Isolation
chemical_list: D016578:Crack Cocaine