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Differential Risk Factors for HIV Drug and Sex Risk-Taking Among Non-treatment-seeking Hospitalized Injection Drug Users

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Abstract

Injection drug users (IDUs) are at increased risk of contracting HIV. From a clinical trial assessing an intervention to enhance the linkage of hospitalized patients to opioid treatment after discharge, we conducted multivariate analysis of baseline data from hospitalized IDUs with a history of opioid dependence (n = 104) to identify differences in factors predicting HIV drug and sex risk behaviors. Factors significantly associated with HIV drug risk were being non-Hispanic Caucasian and recent cocaine use. Being female, binge drinking, and poorer mental health were significantly associated with higher sex risk. Because factors predicting HIV sex risk behaviors differ from those predicting HIV drug risk, interventions aimed at specific HIV risks should have different behavioral and substance use targets.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the participants for their time and study participation. This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) R01 DA026223. Dr. Stein is a recipient of NIDA Award K24 DA000512.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Denise Crooks, Judith Tsui, Shernaz Dossabhoy & Jane M. Liebschutz

  2. Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

    Judith Tsui & Jane M. Liebschutz

  3. Department of General Internal Medicine, Butler Hospital, 345 Blackstone Boulevard, Providence, RI, 02906, USA

    Bradley Anderson, Debra Herman & Michael D. Stein

  4. The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    Debra Herman & Michael D. Stein

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  1. Denise Crooks
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  2. Judith Tsui
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Correspondence to Michael D. Stein.

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Crooks, D., Tsui, J., Anderson, B. et al. Differential Risk Factors for HIV Drug and Sex Risk-Taking Among Non-treatment-seeking Hospitalized Injection Drug Users. AIDS Behav 19, 405–411 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-014-0754-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-014-0754-7

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