title: Taking care of themselves: how long-term injection drug users remain HIV and Hepatitis C free.
abstract: Though prevalence of HIV and especially Hepatitis C is high among people who inject drugs (PWID) in New York, about a third of those who have injected for 8-15 years have avoided infection by either virus despite their long-term drug use. Based on life history interviews with 35 long-term PWID in New York, this article seeks to show how successful integration and performance of various drug using and non-drug using roles may have contributed to some of these PWID's staying uninfected with either virus. We argue that analysis of non-risk related aspects of the lives of the risk-takers (PWID) is very important in understanding their risk-taking behaviour and its outcomes (infection statuses). Drawing on work-related, social and institutional resources, our double-negative informants underwent both periods of stability and turmoil without getting infected.
authors: Laboratory for Comparative Social Research, National Research University Higher School of Economics, St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Meylakhs
authors: National Development and Research Institutes, New York, USA.
authors: Samuel R
authors: SR
authors: Friedman
authors: National Development and Research Institutes, New York, USA.
authors: Pedro
authors: P
authors: Mateu-Gelabert
authors: National Development and Research Institutes, New York, USA.
authors: Milagros
authors: M
authors: Sandoval
authors: International Center for AIDS Research and Training, Botkin Hospital for Infectious Diseases, St. Petersburg, Russia and Centre for Independent Social Research, St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors: Nastia
authors: N
authors: Meylakhs
mesh_terms: D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: HIV and HCV prevention; New York City; injection drug users; qualitative study; role theory