Continued high risk behaviors in HIV infected drug abusers Article

Miguez-Burbano, MJ, Pineda-Medina, L, Lecusay, R et al. (2002). Continued high risk behaviors in HIV infected drug abusers . JOURNAL OF ADDICTIVE DISEASES, 21(4), 67-80. 10.1300/J069v21n04_07

cited authors

  • Miguez-Burbano, MJ; Pineda-Medina, L; Lecusay, R; Bryan Page, J; Castillo, G; Burbano, X; Rodriguez, A; Rodriguez, N; Shor-Posner, G

authors

abstract

  • To characterize current risk behaviors of HIV drug abusers in the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era, socio-demographic, medical and behavioral information were obtained and immune measurements determined. High-risk sexual practices were prevalent. Participants diagnosed before 1995 were 6 times more likely to have unprotected sex with HIV+ partners (p = 0.05) and 11 times more likely to use contaminated needles (p = 0.05) than participants with later diagnosis. Consistent condom use was reported by only 7% of the cohort. Many (43%) of the participants reported multiple HIV+ and HIV-concurrent partners. Most (65%), particularly women (OR = 3, p = 0.02), did so for drugs or money. Despite detectable viral loads, 36% reported unprotected anal sex. Antiretroviral-treated men, compared to non-treated, tended to have unprotected anal sex (OR = 2, p = 0.07). The continued high-risk behaviors of HIV drug users, particularly those diagnosed before 1995 and/or on antiretroviral therapy, indicates an urgent need for new public health strategies. © 2002 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • November 1, 2002

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 67

end page

  • 80

volume

  • 21

issue

  • 4