HIV Risk Behavior and Beliefs of HIV-Seropositive Drug Users

To assess HIV risk behavior, beliefs, attitudes and intentions among HIV-seropositive drug users (DUs), we studied 122 HIV-positive DUs (including ninety-five current injectors) participating in a longitudinal HIV-study among DUs in Amsterdam. All were familiar with their serostatus. Over a period of four months, 20% of the sample put others at risk of HIV infection, mainly through unsafe sex. Forty-nine percent think they might infect someone with HIV in the future, again mainly through unsafe sex. Although the majority intends to use condoms, self-efficacy and response efficacy is low; that is, many do not think they are able to use condoms when necessary and many have limited confidence in the efficacy of condoms in preventing HIV transmission. Correlates of HIV risk behavior were non-Dutch nationality and being a female prostitute. The results suggest that, next to efforts which aim to prevent new infections among HIV-negative injectors or sexual partners of injectors, prevention efforts should focus on HIV-seropositive DUs or former DUs.

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Needle-sharing among young IV drug users and their social network members: The influence of the injection partner's characteristics on HIV risk behavior

Addictive Behaviors ◽

10.1016/j.addbeh.2005.12.007 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 31 (9) ◽

pp. 1607-1618 ◽

Cited By ~ 58

Author(s):

Jennifer B. Unger ◽

Michele D. Kipke ◽

Christine J. De Rosa ◽

Justeen Hyde ◽

Anamara Ritt-Olson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Network ◽

Risk Behavior ◽

Hiv Risk ◽

Drug Users ◽

Hiv Risk Behavior ◽

Needle Sharing

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HIV-Risk Behavior Among Injecting or Non-Injecting Drug Users in Cape Town, Pretoria, and Durban, South Africa

Substance Use & Misuse ◽

10.1080/10826080802487028 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 44 (6) ◽

pp. 886-904 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Charles D. H. Parry ◽

Tara Carney ◽

Petal Petersen ◽

Sarah Dewing ◽

Richard Needle

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Risk Behavior ◽

Hiv Risk ◽

Drug Users ◽

Cape Town ◽

Injecting Drug Users ◽

Hiv Risk Behavior

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Recent Incarceration Independently Associated with Syringe Sharing by Injection Drug Users

Public Health Reports ◽

10.1177/003335490512000208 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 120 (2) ◽

pp. 150-156 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Evan Wood ◽

Kathy Li ◽

Will Small ◽

Julio S. Montaner ◽

Martin T. Schechter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hiv Risk ◽

Injection Drug Users ◽

Drug Users ◽

Hiv Risk Behavior ◽

Injection Drug ◽

Syringe Sharing ◽

Binary Outcomes ◽

History Of ◽

The Relationship ◽

Hiv Negative

Objectives. Few prospective studies are available on the relationship between incarceration and HIV risk among injection drug users (IDUs). The authors evaluated self-reported rates of syringe sharing and incarceration among a cohort of IDUs. Methods. This study analyzed syringe lending by HIV-infected IDUs and syringe borrowing by HIV-negative IDUs among participants enrolled in the Vancouver Injection Drug Users Study (VIDUS). Since serial measures for each individual were available, variables potentially associated with each outcome (syringe lending and borrowing) were evaluated using generalized estimating equations for binary outcomes. Results. The study sample consisted of 1,475 IDUs who were enrolled into the VIDUS cohort from May 1996 through May 2002. At baseline, 1,123 (76%) reported a history of incarceration since they first began injecting drugs. Of these individuals, 351 (31%) reported at baseline that they had injected drugs while incarcerated. Among 318 baseline HIV-infected IDUs, having been incarcerated in the six months prior to each interview remained independently associated with syringe lending during the same period (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06, 1.69; p=0.015). Similarly, among the 1,157 baseline HIV-negative IDUs, having been incarcerated in the six months prior to each interview remained independently associated with reporting syringe borrowing during the same period (adjusted OR=1.26; 95% CI 1.12, 1.44; p<0.001). Conclusions. Incarceration was independently associated with risky needle sharing for HIV-infected and HIV-negative IDUs. This evidence of HIV risk behavior should reinforce public health concerns about the high rates of incarceration among IDUs.

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