title: Immediate Impact of Hurricane Sandy on People Who Inject Drugs in New York City.
abstract: Over the eight months following Hurricane Sandy, of October 2012, we interviewed 300 people who inject drugs in New York City. During the week after the storm, 28% rescued others or volunteered with aid groups; 60% experienced withdrawal; 27% shared drug injection or preparation equipment, or injected with people they normally would not inject with; 70% of those on opioid maintenance therapy could not obtain sufficient doses; and 43% of HIV-positive participants missed HIV medication doses. Although relatively brief, a hurricane can be viewed as a Big Event that can alter drug environments and behaviors, and may have lasting impact. The study's limitations are noted and future needed research is suggested.
authors.affiliation: The Institute for Infectious Disease Research, National Development and Research Institutes , New York, New York , USA.
authors.forename: Enrique R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Pouget
authors.forename: Milagros
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sandoval
authors.forename: Georgios K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Nikolopoulos
authors.forename: Samuel R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D012924:Social Conditions; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Big Events; HIV; Hurricane Sandy; complex emergencies; disasters; people who inject drugs