Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:To study how condom use in injecting drug users' (IDU) relationships differs according to whether they are HIV-infected, and to whether their sex partner is an IDU. DESIGN AND METHODS/METHODS:A total of 317 street-recruited IDU were HIV-antibody tested and interviewed about 421 relationships with particular sex partners. RESULTS:Condoms were consistently (100%) used in sex between partners (during the previous 30 days) in 33% of these relationships, and their use was significantly more frequent in relationships of seropositive IDU and in relationships with non-IDU partners. In relationships between seropositive IDU and non-IDU, consistent condom use was reported to be high (68%); this remained unchanged under multivariate controls. CONCLUSIONS:Self-reported condom use by IDU in New York, with its relatively mature epidemic, appears to be concentrated where it may most reduce the spread of HIV to non-IDU heterosexuals, i.e., in relationships between infected IDU and non-IDU partners. Differential condom use by serostatus and by partners' drug injection should be incorporated into mathematical models of the HIV epidemic. Causes of the high level of condom use in this subset of relationships may include drug injector altruism and pressure by sex partners; prevention programs should develop ways to use both of these factors to motivate increased condom use.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a rapidly growing problem among injecting drug users (IDU), especially those infected with human immunodeficiency virus. The authors review IDUs' responses to current TB control strategies and discuss the implications of their findings for the proposed implementation of directly observed therapy (DOT), a method for ensuring that patients take prescribed medication. Field workers carried out 210 ethnographic interviews with 68 IDUs in a Brooklyn, NY, community during 1990-93. Case studies suggested that many IDUs are uninformed about TB and often misinformed about their personal TB status. Ethnographic interviews and observations indicated that the threat of TB-related involuntary detainment may lead IDUs to avoid TB diagnostic procedures, treatment for TB, or drug abuse treatment, and to avoid AIDS outreach workers and other health-related services. IDUs who tested positive for the purified protein derivative (PPD) of TB sometimes have left hospitals before definitive diagnoses were made, because of a perceived lack of respectful treatment, fear of detention, or lack of adequate methadone therapy to relieve the symptoms of withdrawal from drugs. Current TB diagnosis and treatment systems are, at best, inadequate. The threat of TB-related detention discourages some IDUs from seeking any type of health care. There is an urgent need to educate IDUs about TB and to educate and sensitize health care providers about the lifestyles of IDUs. DOT may help in servicing this difficult-to-serve population, particularly if techniques are incorporated that have been developed for other successful public health interventions for IDUs.

OBJECTIVES--To examine trends in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) risk behavior and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence among injecting drug users (IDUs) in New York City from 1984 through 1992. DESIGN AND SETTING--Comparisons were made between two surveys of IDUs at the same hospital-based New York City drug abuse detoxification program: 141 IDUs in 1984 and 974 IDUs in 1990 through 1992. National Death Registry, New York City Health Department, and drug treatment program records were also used. PARTICIPANTS--Persons attending detoxification program randomly selected for participation. Eligibility was based on injection within previous 2 months; 99% acceptance rates were obtained. Participants in the 1984 and 1990 through 1992 surveys were 66% and 79% men, 21% and 19% white, 33% and 34% African American, and 45% and 46% Latin American, respectively. INTERVENTIONS--Community-based AIDS prevention programs, including underground syringe exchanges. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome risk behaviors; HIV serostatus; CD4+ cell counts; death rates among 1984 subjects; and injection and intranasal routes of drug administration. RESULTS--The HIV seroprevalence remained stable at slightly more than 50%. Mean CD4+ cell counts declined from 0.716 x 10(9)/L (716/microL) to 0.575 x 10(9)/L (P < .009). Annual death rate among 1984 subjects was 3%, with a significantly higher rate among HIV-seropositive subjects (relative risk, 2.57; 95% exact binomial confidence interval, 1.12 to 6.61). Large-scale declines were observed in AIDS risk behaviors, eg, use of potentially contaminated syringes declined from 51% to 7% of injections (P < .001). Recent additional risk reduction was associated with use of the underground syringe exchanges. Intranasal heroin use was the primary route of drug administration for 46% of heroin admissions to New York City drug treatment programs. CONCLUSIONS--The HIV seroprevalence has remained stable among this population of New York City IDUs for almost a decade. Continuation of current trends should lead to further reduction in HIV transmission, although reversal of the trend to intranasal use could lead to substantially increased transmission