Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:This study examined whether networks of drug-injecting and sexual relationships among drug injectors are associated with individual human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serostatus and with behavioral likelihood of future infection. METHODS:A cross-sectional survey of 767 drug injectors in New York City was performed with chain-referral and linking procedures to measure large-scale (sociometric) risk networks. Graph-theoretic algebraic techniques were used to detect 92 connected components (drug injectors linked to each other directly or through others) and a 105-member 2-core within a large connected component of 230 members. RESULTS:Drug injectors in the 2-core of the large component were more likely than others to be infected with HIV. Seronegative 2-core members engaged in a wide range of high-risk behaviors, including engaging in risk behaviors with infected drug injectors. CONCLUSIONS:Sociometric risk networks seem to be pathways along which HIV travels in drug-injecting peer groups. The cores of large components can be centers of high-risk behaviors and can become pockets of HIV infection. Preventing HIV from reaching the cores of large components may be crucial in preventing widespread HIV epidemics.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:To determine the extent to which youth who reside in households in a neighborhood with large numbers of drug injectors 1) are infected with parenterally or sexually transmitted agents, and 2) engage in high-risk behaviors. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:A multistage probability household sample survey was conducted in Bushwick, Brooklyn from 1994 to 1995. All households in 12 randomly selected primary sampling units were screened for age-eligible youth. One hundred eleven English-speaking 18- to 21-year-olds were interviewed. One hundred three sera were tested for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), Hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus (HCV), human T-cell lymphotrophic virus types I and II (HTLV-I/II), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), or syphilis. Urines were tested for chlamydial infection, and for opiate and cocaine metabolites. RESULTS:Eighty-nine percent had sex in the past year, 45% with two or more partners. Only 19% of the sexually active always used condoms. Two (of 95) had had sex with a crack smoker. Thirty percent of women reported being coerced the first time they had sex, and 23% of women and 3% of men reported having been sexually abused. Only 3% reported ever using heroin, and 9% cocaine. Only one reported ever having injected drugs or smoked crack. Some underreporting of stigmatized behaviors occurred: two "nonreporters" had opiate-positive urines and two had cocaine-positive urines. Marijuana use was common, with 48% using it in the past year. No subjects tested positive for HIV-1, HIV-II, or syphilis; 2% tested positive for HTLV-I and 3% for hepatitis C; 3% had hepatitis B markers, 12% had chlamydial infection, and 50% serologic HSV-2 markers. CONCLUSIONS:Population-representative samples of high-risk communities can provide important knowledge. Although heroin and cocaine use, during drug injection, and rates of infection with parenterally transmitted infectious agents appear to be lower among these youth, sexual risk behaviors and chlamydial and HSV-2 infection are widespread. Sexually transmitted disease screening and outreach strategies are needed both to prevent sexually transmitted disease sequelae (including potential increased susceptibility to HIV infection) and to prevent transmission to partners.