title: Perceived serosorting of injection paraphernalia sharing networks among injection drug users in Baltimore, MD.
abstract: We examined perceived serosorting of injection paraphernalia sharing networks among a sample of 572 injection drug users (IDUs). There was evidence for serosorting of high-risk injection behaviors among HIV-negative IDUs, as 94% of HIV-negative IDUs shared injection paraphernalia exclusively with perceived HIV-negative networks. However, 82% of HIV-positive IDUs shared injection paraphernalia with perceived HIV-negative networks. The findings indicate a potential risk of rapid HIV transmission. Future prevention efforts targeting IDUs should address the limitation of serosorting, and focus on preventing injection paraphernalia sharing regardless of potential sharing networks' perceived HIV status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2213 McElderry Street, 2nd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. cyang@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tobin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Latkin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000821:virology