Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of transitioning from non-injection heroin use to injection drug use on sexual risk behavior. Non-injecting heroin users age 16-30 were enrolled from 2002 to 2005, and were re-interviewed at 6-month intervals for up to three years; 561 participants completed at least one follow-up interview. The majority of participants were non-Hispanic (NH) Black (54%), 23% were Hispanic, and 21% were NH white. During follow-up, 154 participants (27.5%) transitioned to injecting drugs. Logistic regression analyses were conducted using generalized estimating equations (GEE) to estimate the effect of transition to injection drug use on changes in sexual risk behavior during follow-up. Transition to injection drug use during follow-up was associated with increased likelihood of sexual risk behavior, especially for men. Harm reduction efforts that focus on preventing initiation or return to injection among non-injecting drug users may also ameliorate HIV sexual risk behaviors.
Highlights
Within the last decade there has been increased attention on sexual risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and, to a lesser extent, hepatitis C (HCV) infections among injection drug users (IDUs)
Injection drug users frequently engage in risky sexual behaviors that increase their susceptibility to infection with HIV, HCV, and sexually transmitted-infections (STIs) through sex with multiple partners, sex without condoms, and exchanging sex for money or drugs, and increase the likelihood of transmitting these viral and bacterial infections to their partners
Data for this study come from the Non-Injecting Heroin Use, HIV, and Injection Transitions Study (NIHU-HIT), a prospective study that used an open cohort design with continuous sampling to investigate the incidence and risk factors for transitions to drug injection and the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for infection with HIV, HBV, and HCV among young NIHU recruited in community-based settings
Summary
Within the last decade there has been increased attention on sexual risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and, to a lesser extent, hepatitis C (HCV) infections among injection drug users (IDUs). Recent studies have highlighted the HIV and HCV risks associated with sexual behavior among male and female IDUs [2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. Injection drug users frequently engage in risky sexual behaviors that increase their susceptibility to infection with HIV, HCV, and sexually transmitted-infections (STIs) through sex with multiple partners, sex without condoms, and exchanging sex for money or drugs, and increase the likelihood of transmitting these viral and bacterial infections to their partners. Men who have sex with men who inject drugs are at increased risk for HIV infection [7, 10,11,12]. For women who inject drugs, HIV infection has been associated
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
