title: Addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic among Puerto Rican people who inject drugs: the need for a multiregion approach.
abstract: High levels of HIV risk behaviors and prevalence have been reported among Puerto Rican people who inject drugs (PRPWID) since early in the HIV epidemic. Advances in HIV prevention and treatment have reduced HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) in the United States. We examined HIV-related data for PRPWID in Puerto Rico and the US Northeast to assess whether disparities continue. Injection drug use as a risk for HIV is still overrepresented among Puerto Ricans. Lower availability of syringe exchanges, drug abuse treatment, and antiretroviral treatment for PWID in Puerto Rico contribute to higher HIV risk and incidence. These disparities should be addressed by the development of a federally supported Northeast-Puerto Rico collaboration to facilitate and coordinate efforts throughout both regions.
authors.affiliation: Sherry Deren is with the Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY. Camila Gelpí-Acosta is a postdoctoral fellow at National Development and Research Institutes (NDRI), New York, NY. Carmen E. Albizu-García is with the Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan. At the time of writing, Ángel González and Salvador Santiago-Negrón were with the Administración de Servicios de Salud Mental y Contra la Adicción (ASSMCA; Mental Health and Anti-addiction Services Administration), San Juan. Don C. Des Jarlais is with Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deren
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gelpí-Acosta
authors.forename: Carmen E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Albizu-García
authors.forename: Ángel
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Don C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Des Jarlais
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santiago-Negrón
mesh_terms: D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs; D009511:New England / Q000453:epidemiology; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control