Prevalence and correlates of HIV risk among adolescents and young adults reporting drug use: Data from an urban emergency department in the United States

ABSTRACT

Adolescents and young adults who use substances are at particularly high risk for contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The emergency department (ED) is a critical location for HIV prevention for at-risk youth. To inform future interventions in the ED, this study identifies correlates of HIV risk behaviors among substance using youth seeking ED care. Among 600 youth aged 14 to 24 years with past 6-month drug use, bivariate correlates of HIV risk included older age, female gender, depressive symptoms, alcohol use, marijuana use, other drug use, and dating, peer, and community violence. Regression analyses indicated that older age, marijuana use, and dating violence were positively related to HIV risk. Results suggest HIV prevention efforts for youth in the urban ED should address marijuana use and dating violence as well as sexual risk behaviors.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV-related risk behaviors
• sexual risk
• substance abuse

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Corrigendum

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the patients and staff at Hurley Medical Center and Linping Duan for statistical support.

Additional information

Funding

Financial support for the study was provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (#024646). This work was also supported by CDC grant #U01CE001957. During her work on this project, Dr. Bonar was supported by a training grant from the National Institute onAlcoholism and Alcohol Abuse #007477 awarded to the University of Michigan Addiction Research Center.