HIV risks and seroprevalence among Mexican American injection drug users in California.
Latinos in the United States are an ethnically diverse group disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. We describe HIV seroprevalence, HIV risk behaviors and utilization of health services among Mexican American injection drug users (IDUs) in California (n = 286) and compare them to White (n = 830) and African American (n = 314) IDUs. Study participants were recruited from syringe exchange programs (n = 24) in California. HIV seroprevalence among Mexican Americans (0.5%) was dramatically lower than Whites (5%) and African Americans (8%). Mexican Americans reported fewer sex-related risks than Whites and African Americans though injection-related risks remained high. Compared to Whites, Mexican Americans were more likely to participate in drug treatment during a 6 month period (AOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1, 2.0) but less likely to receive any health care (AOR 0.6, 95% CI 0.5, 0.8). Exploring cultural and structural factors among Mexican American IDUs may offer new insights into how to maintain low rates of HIV seroprevalence and reduce barriers to health care utilization.
Martinez
Alexis N
AN
Department of Sociology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA. alexisnm@sfsu.edu
Bluthenthal
Ricky N
RN
Flynn
Neil M
NM
Anderson
Rachel L
RL
Kral
Alex H
AH
D000328:Adult; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D055030:Drug Users / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016485:Needle Sharing; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012309:Risk-Taking; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology