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Prevalence of HIV Infection and HIV Risk Behaviors Associated with Living Place: On-the-Street Homeless Drug Users as a Special Target Population for Public Health Intervention
| Content Provider | Scilit |
|---|---|
| Author | Smereck, Geoffrey A. D. Hockman, Elaine M. |
| Copyright Year | 1998 |
| Description | The study described here examined the prevalence of HIV infection as a function of place of residence and high-risk behaviors in six subpopulations of out-of-treatment drug injectors and crack cocaine users who participated in the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Cooperative Agreement project. The subpopulations were blacks, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites sampled separately by gender. The research asked three questions: (a) Is the HIV infection rate higher among the on-the-street homeless than among those in other places of residence? (b) Do high-risk drug-related behaviors differ by housing status? and (c) What are the joint effects of high-risk drug-related behaviors and housing status on the probability of HIV infection? Overall, on-the-street homeless had a significantly higher HIV + rate (19.0%) than the study population as a whole (11.2%). Rates differed by gender and race, with exceptionally high HIV + rates for on-the-street homeless Hispanic males (29%) and females (32%) and for on-the-street homeless black females (38%). Having used drug works previously used by a HIV-infected person was a strong predictor of HIV+ status, as was frequency of drug injections and crack use. Having multiple sex partners was also a significant risk behavior. Findings argue against considering on-the-street homelessness as equivalent to shelter dwelling or aggregated homelessness for purposes of the AIDS epidemic. On-the-street homeless drug users were at strong risk for acquisition and transmission of HIV infection and therefore in need of targeted—racially relevant, ethnically relevant, and gender-relevant—public health interventions to help prevent the spread of AIDS. |
| Related Links | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/00952999809001714 |
| Ending Page | 319 |
| Page Count | 21 |
| Starting Page | 299 |
| ISSN | 00952990 |
| e-ISSN | 10979891 |
| DOI | 10.3109/00952999809001714 |
| Journal | The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse |
| Issue Number | 2 |
| Volume Number | 24 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited |
| Publisher Date | 1998-01-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Journal: The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Biomedical Social Sciences Risk Behavior Hiv Infection Behaviors Homeless Drug Users Street Homeless Drug |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
| Subject | Clinical Psychology Psychiatry and Mental Health |
