title: Understanding differences in HIV/HCV prevalence according to differentiated risk behaviors in a sample of PWID in rural Puerto Rico.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blood contained in needles and injection equipment has been identified as a vector for HIV and HCV transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID). Yet, there is often a wide discrepancy in prevalence for both viruses. While microbiological differences between viruses influence prevalence, other variables associated with the way drugs are acquired and used, also play a role.
  
  
  METHODS
  Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) methods recruited a sample of 315 current intravenous drug users in rural Puerto Rico. Information about type and frequency of use, HIV and HVC risk behaviors (sharing needles, cookers, cotton, and water), sexual behaviors, and alcohol use was collected. HIV and HCV statuses were assessed via rapid antibody tests. T tests compare means of participants who tested positive (reactive) to those who tested negative. Logistic regression analyses were used to validate the association of the risk factors involved.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tests showed a significant difference in HIV (6%) and HCV (78.4%) prevalence among a population of current PWID. The main risk behaviors in HCV transmission are the sharing of injection "works", (e.g., cookers, cotton, and water). Sharing works occurred more than twice as often as the sharing of needles, and HCV+ and HCV- individuals reported the same needle sharing habits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Washing and rinsing injection works with water seems to prevent HIV transmission, but it is unable to prevent HCV infection. While education about the need to clean injection equipment with bleach might be beneficial, equipment sharing--and the subsequent risk of HVC--might be unavoidable in a context where participants are forced to pool resources to acquire and use intravenous drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 206 Benton Hall, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA. rabadie2@unl.edu.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abadie
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 206 Benton Hall, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA. mwelch2@unl.edu.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Welch-Lazoritz
authors.affiliation: Social Science Department, LaGuardia Community College, 31-10 Thomson Ave., Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA. camilagelpi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gelpi-Acosta
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Puerto Rico, 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA. juan.reyes5@upr.edu.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 206 Benton Hall, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA. kdombrowski2@unl.edu.
authors.forename: Kirk
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dombrowski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055030:Drug Users / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D006266:Health Education; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016485:Needle Sharing; D015995:Prevalence; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012424:Rural Population; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult