Comparison of HIV Risk by Duration of Injection Drug Use

Abstract

Early studies documented an inverse association between the HIV risk and duration of injection among injection drug users (IDUs). Results from subsequent studies have been inconsistent. To examine this issue, we conducted interviews with 395 street-recruited active IDUs from 38 neighborhoods in New York City during 2005 and 2008. We observed no significant differences in drug or risky sex behaviors by duration of drug use among these IDUs. Despite this, continuing to tailor HIV prevention programs for these recent-onset IDUs is prudent. The study's limitations are noted.

Keywords :

• HIV
• substance use
• adolescent and young adults
• epidemiology
• injection

THE AUTHORS

David Vlahov, PhD, is Senior Vice President for Research at the New York Academy of Medicine and Director at the Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies. He is also Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Dr. Vlahov received a MERIT Award from the NIH for his leadership on the ALIVE study, a 20-year longitudinal study of injection drug users. He has published 593 articles and four books.

Danielle Ompad, PhD, is Associate Director of the Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies at the New York Academy of Medicine and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. She earned her PhD in Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

Crystal Fuller, PhD, is Associate Professor at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and an investigator at the Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies. She earned her PhD in Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

Vijay Nandi, PhD, is a Senior Research Analyst in the Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies at the New York Academy of Medicine. She holds a Masters in Public Health in Epidemiology from New York Medical College and a BA in Political Science from Middlebury College.