HIV seroprevalence among street-recruited injection drug and crack cocaine users in 16 US municipalities

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 88; no. 1; pp. 108 - 113
• Main Authors: Kral, A H, Bluthenthal, R N, Booth, R E, Watters, J K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Am Public Health Assoc 01.01.1998; American Public Health Association
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Addictive behaviors; Adult; AIDS; Amphetamines; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Cities; Cocaine; Cocaine-Related Disorders - blood; Cocaine-Related Disorders - complications; Cocaine-Related Disorders - psychology; Condoms; Crack; Crack Cocaine; Demography; Drug abuse; Drug use; Epidemiology; Female; Health risk assessment; Heroin; Heterosexuality; HIV; HIV Seroprevalence; Homeless people; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Immune system; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Infections; Intravenous drug addicts; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Medical tests; Middle Aged; Missing data; Public health; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Risk-Taking; Serology; Sexual Behavior; Sexually transmitted diseases; Smoking; STD; Substance abuse treatment; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - blood; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - complications; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - psychology; Syphilis; United States - epidemiology; USA; United States; North America; America; Human; Immunopathology; Drug addiction; Seropositivity; Prevalence; Intravenous administration; Retroviridae; AIDS; Serology; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Epidemiology; Infection; Virus; Smoker; Viral disease; Risk factor; Cocaine; Behavior; Human immunodeficiency virus; Comparative study; Public health
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.88.1.108

This study deter- mined human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence and factors associated with HIV infection among street-recruited injection drug users and crack cocaine smokers. An analysis was performed on HIV serologies and risk behaviors of 6402 injection drug users and 3383 crack smokers in 16 US municipalities in 1992 and 1993. HIV seroprevalence was 12.7% among injection drug users and 7.5% among crack smokers. Most high-seroprevalence municipalities (>25%) were located along the eastern seaboard of the United States. In high-seroprevalence municipalities, but not in others, HIV seroprevalence was higher for injection drug users than for crack smokers. Among injection drug users, cocaine injection, use of speedballs (cocaine or amphetamines with heroin), and sexual risk behaviors were independently associated with HIV infection. Among crack smokers, sexual risk behaviors were associated with HIV infection. Injection drug users and crack smokers are at high risk for HIV infection.