An assessment of the risks of syphilis and HIV infection among a sample of not-in-treatment drug users in Houston, Texas

AIDS Care
M L WilliamsI D Montoya

Abstract

The research presented in this paper details the results of an assessment of the risk factors associated with having a positive syphilis or HIV serology. The study was conducted using a sample of not-in-treatment drug users volunteering to participate in an HIV risk reduction intervention. The sample was composed of individuals who had injected drugs within 30 days or smoked crack cocaine 48 hours prior to participation in the study. Study participants were approximately 75% male and 66% African-American. All participants provided a blood sample to be tested for HIV and syphilis. Analysis of risk was conducted using univariate and multivariate statistical methods. Multivariate analysis of blood results showed that women, African-Americans, and those having a positive blood test for HIV were at higher odds of having a positive syphilis test. Analysis also showed that being a gay or bisexual male, having a history of drug injection, having less than a high-school education, having a history of trading sex for money, being African-American, and having a positive blood test for syphilis significantly increased the odds of a positive HIV test. Implications for HIV and STD prevention are discussed.

Citations

Jun 26, 2001·Journal of Urban Health : Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine·D C BellV Heath
Oct 26, 2000·Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·L Y HwangM Holleman
Mar 5, 2011·Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·Nickolas D ZallerCurt G Beckwith
Sep 24, 1999·Sexually Transmitted Diseases·J BasemanM Williams
Feb 2, 2000·Sexually Transmitted Diseases·M E BlockerM E St Louis
Jun 1, 2005·Sexually Transmitted Infections·S S PlittT E Taha
Oct 30, 2004·American Journal of Public Health·Peter A NewmanRobert E Weiss
Mar 17, 2016·Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment·Alexis K MatusiewiczAmy S B Bohnert
Oct 20, 2010·The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse·Shirley J SempleThomas L Patterson
Mar 11, 2011·Journal of Medical Microbiology·Karishma S KaushikA K Praharaj
Aug 12, 2016·Sexually Transmitted Diseases·Camden J HallmarkMichael W Ross
May 31, 2002·International Journal of STD & AIDS·M W RossL Duncan
Nov 17, 2006·Sexually Transmitted Diseases·Dennis G FisherNetti Deaugustine

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Addiction

This feed focuses mechanisms underlying addiction and addictive behaviour including heroin and opium dependence, alcohol intoxication, gambling, and tobacco addiction.