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Initiating HIV Care: Attitudes and Perceptions of HIV Positive Crack Cocaine Users

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Abstract

There is limited data on the initiation and use of HIV care services by HIV-positive crack cocaine users. We analyzed data from a study of 286 recently infected HIV-positive persons recruited from 4 U.S. cities. Participants completed an Audio Computer Assisted Self Interview (A-CASI) regarding HIV care knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices related to the initiation of HIV care. In multiple logistic regression analysis, higher scores on an assessment of knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding HIV care, and Hispanic race were positively associated with initiating HIV primary care. Crack cocaine use in the past 30 days and male gender were negatively associated with initiating care. Injection drug use was not associated with initiation of care. Targeted interventions for crack cocaine users, including drug treatment, may be required to provide optimal HIV primary care use in this population.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Cooperative Agreement UR3/CCU417657. The ARTAS study group consists of the authors and Dr. Lytt I. Gardner, Dr. Scott D. Holmberg, and Christopher S. Krawczyk from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. Carlos del Rio, Sonya Green, Maribel Barragan, Dr. Wayne Duffus, Dr. Michael Leonard, Christine O’Daniels, Catherine Abrams, Felicia Berry, Valerie Hunter, Howard Pope, and Giselle C. Hicks from the Emory University School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases; Dr. Steffanie Strathdee, Dr. Anita Loughlin, Steven Huettner, Matt Woolf, Ovedia Burt, and Janet Reaves, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Dr. Pamela Anderson-Mahoney, Dr. Peter Kerndt, Bobby Gatson, Brandon Schmidt, Norma Perez, Amy Chan, Lawrence Fernandez, Jr., Jenny Kotlerman, Dr. Ellen Rudy, and Stella Gutierrez from Health Research Association; Dr. Lisa Metsch, Dr. Clyde McCoy, Dr. Gordon Dickinson, Dr. Toye Brewer, Eduardo Valverde, Brad Wohler-Torres, Lauren Gooden, Dr. Wei Zhao, Faye Yeomans, and Yolanda Davis Camacho from the University of Miami School of Medicine; Dr. Harvey A. Siegel, Richard C. Rapp, Teri L. Rust, and Dr. Jichuan Wang, from the Wright State University School of Medicine.

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Author notes

  1. Anita Loughlin

    Present address: Center for Pediatric and Vaccine Research, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, University of Miami School of Medicine, 1400 NW 10th Avenue Ste. 813 (D-90A), Miami, FL, 33136, USA

    Toye H. Brewer

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Wei Zhao, Margaret Pereyra & Lisa R. Metsch

  3. Department of Medicine, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Carlos del Rio

  4. Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Anita Loughlin

  5. Health Research Association, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Pamela Anderson-Mahoney

  6. Division of HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Lytt Gardner

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  1. Toye H. Brewer
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Correspondence to Toye H. Brewer.

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Brewer, T.H., Zhao, W., Pereyra, M. et al. Initiating HIV Care: Attitudes and Perceptions of HIV Positive Crack Cocaine Users. AIDS Behav 11, 897–904 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9210-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9210-2

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