title: Social support networks and primary care use by HIV-infected drug users.
abstract: HIV-infected current and former drug users utilize primary care and preventive health services at suboptimal rates, but little is known about how social support networks are associated with health services use. We investigated the relationship between social support networks and the use of specific types of health services by HIV-infected drug users receiving methadone maintenance. We found that persons with greater social support, in particular more social network members or more network members aware of their HIV status, were more likely to use primary care services. In contrast, social support networks were not related to emergency room or inpatient hospital use. Interventions that build social support might improve coordinated and continuous health services utilization by HIV-infected persons in outpatient drug treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Megha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramaswamy
authors.forename: Patricia J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Karina M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Alain H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Litwin
authors.forename: Julia H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Arnsten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D060756:Social Networking; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D008691:Methadone