HIV Risk Behaviors Among Young Drug Using Women Who Have Sex With Women (WSWs) in New York City

Abstract

Previous research has suggested that multiple stressors may work in tandem to affect the health of women who have sex with women (WSWs). WSWs have been a part of the HIV epidemic in New York City since the beginning, making it an ideal setting to further explore these women's risk. Among a sample of 375 heroin, crack and/or cocaine using women recruited from economically disadvantaged communities in New York City, we examined HIV seroprevalence and risk behaviors among WSWs as compared to women who have sex with men only (WSMOs). We also explore differences between WSWs and WSMOs with respect to potential stressors (i.e., decreased access to resources and health care utilization and violence victimization) that might contribute overall HIV risk. The study's limitations are noted.

Keywords :

• women who have sex with women
• injection drug use
• non-injection drug use
• New York City
• multiple stressors
• risk factors
• protective factors
• sexual orientation
• sexual identity
• cultural competency

THE AUTHORS

Danielle C. Ompad, Ph.D., is Associate Director of the Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies at the New York Academy of Medicine. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Dr. Ompad completed a BS in Biology at Bowie State University, one of the oldest Historically Black Colleges/ Universities in the United States. She then completed an MHS and PhD in infectious disease epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health.

Samuel R. Friedman, Ph.D., sociologist, is a Senior Research Fellow at National Development and Research Institutes Inc. (New York) and the Director of the Interdisciplinary Theoretical Synthesis Core at the Center for Drug Use and HIV Research. Dr. Friedman is an author of over 350 publications on HIV, STI, and drug use epidemiology and prevention.

Sel J. Hwahng, Ph.D., is currently a Visiting Scholar and Adjunct Professor at the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race at Columbia University, and was a Research Investigator on the National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded New York Transgender Project at the Institute of Treatment and Services Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., from 2004–2009. Dr. Hwahng has received several awards, grants, and fellowships and most recently an Excellence in Abstract Submission among All Presenters Award from the American Public Health Association (2010). Publications include over 16 articles and book chapters in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes on various aspects of research on health disparities, HIV/STIs, substance use, mental health, abuse/victimization, and child/adolescent development, focusing mostly on LGBTQ, women, and people of color populations. Dr. Hwahng serves on the National Advisory Board for the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health at University of California at San Francisco, on the Board of Directors and as Program Committee Chair for the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, and on the Board of Directors for the National Queer Asian and Pacific Islander Alliance.

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

Crystal M. Fuller, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, and an infectious disease epidemiologist with Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies at the New York Academy of Medicine. She completed her MPH from the Tulane University School of Public Health and her PhD from Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health in the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Program. Her research focuses on the effect of high-risk behavior (particularly social networks) and other social determinants (individual and contextual) on initiation of injection drug use, subsequent risk behavior, and early transmission of blood-borne pathogens among drug users in New York City.

David Vlahov, Ph.D., is Senior Vice President for Research at the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) and Director of NYAM's Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies. He is also Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.