BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To identify relationships between sexual behavior, drug use, and HIV infection among female injection-drug users (IDUs) recruited in community settings. STUDY DESIGN: Risk analysis of 407 survey questionnaires and matched HIV serologies (n = 403) from female IDUs recruited from community settings in 3 inner-city neighborhoods in San Francisco during 1991 and 1992. RESULTS: The HIV seroprevalence of our sample was 11.4%. Fifty-four percent reported using crack cocaine in the past 30 days. HIV seroprevalence was 10.5% among crack cocaine smokers and 12.5% among nonsmokers. In multivariate analysis, HIV infection was associated with a history of sex for money exchanges (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.11; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.37, 7.02); history of syphilis (AOR = 3.30; 95% CI = 1.36, 7.99); and African American ethnicity (AOR = 5.31; 95% CI = 2.05, 13.73). Crack smoking in the past 30 days (AOR = 0.33; 95% CI = 0.15, 0.71) and having a current steady sexual partner (AOR = 0.48; 95% CI = 0.24, 0.94) were both inversely associated with HIV infection in the multivariate model. None of our injection-related variables were predictive or protective of HIV infection, when controlled for the above factors. CONCLUSIONS: Unprotected heterosexual activity is a principal risk factor for HIV infection among female IDUs in San Francisco. Greater reported sexual risk behavior of crack smokers was not reflected by a higher HIV rate at present, perhaps because of lower prevalence of HIV among their sexual partners.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To identify relationships between sexual behavior, drug use, and HIV infection among female injection-drug users (IDUs) recruited in community settings. STUDY DESIGN: Risk analysis of 407 survey questionnaires and matched HIV serologies (n = 403) from female IDUs recruited from community settings in 3 inner-city neighborhoods in San Francisco during 1991 and 1992. RESULTS: The HIV seroprevalence of our sample was 11.4%. Fifty-four percent reported using crack cocaine in the past 30 days. HIV seroprevalence was 10.5% among crack cocaine smokers and 12.5% among nonsmokers. In multivariate analysis, HIV infection was associated with a history of sex for money exchanges (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.11; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.37, 7.02); history of syphilis (AOR = 3.30; 95% CI = 1.36, 7.99); and African American ethnicity (AOR = 5.31; 95% CI = 2.05, 13.73). Crack smoking in the past 30 days (AOR = 0.33; 95% CI = 0.15, 0.71) and having a current steady sexual partner (AOR = 0.48; 95% CI = 0.24, 0.94) were both inversely associated with HIV infection in the multivariate model. None of our injection-related variables were predictive or protective of HIV infection, when controlled for the above factors. CONCLUSIONS: Unprotected heterosexual activity is a principal risk factor for HIV infection among female IDUs in San Francisco. Greater reported sexual risk behavior of crack smokers was not reflected by a higher HIV rate at present, perhaps because of lower prevalence of HIV among their sexual partners.
Authors: Marjorie J Robertson; Richard A Clark; Edwin D Charlebois; Jacqueline Tulsky; Heather L Long; David R Bangsberg; Andrew R Moss Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2004-07 Impact factor: 9.308
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Authors: Hannah L F Cooper; Brian H Bossak; Barbara Tempalski; Samuel R Friedman; Don C Des Jarlais Journal: J Urban Health Date: 2009-11 Impact factor: 3.671
Authors: Lara S Coffin; Ashley Newberry; Holly Hagan; Charles M Cleland; Don C Des Jarlais; David C Perlman Journal: Int J Drug Policy Date: 2009-04-09
Authors: Don C Des Jarlais; Kamyar Arasteh; Holly Hagan; Courtney McKnight; David C Perlman; Samuel R Friedman Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2009-10 Impact factor: 9.308