The Study of High Risk Drug Use Settings for HIV Prevention is an ethnographic and epidemiological study designed to increase understanding of social contextual factors affecting AIDS risk in sites where risky drug use behaviors occur. Conducted in Hartford, Connecticut (1997-2001), the study was designed to lay the foundation for development of effective harm reduction interventions by increasing our understanding of who is using high risk sites, what risky behavior patterns occur in these sites, and possible best practices in engaging site users in HIV/AIDS prevention. During the course of the study, we gained deeper understanding of ethnic differences among African American and Puerto Rican drug users in HIV status and risk by looking at their social network connections, geography of drug use site locations, and risky sex behaviors and injection practices in those sites. These important differences remain even with change in networks and site use over time. This presentation reviews findings from a panel study of 293 active drug users at two time points. We focus on the interaction of three key variable domains: ethnicity, site selection and characteristics of personal networks. We look at the predictive power of these domains at time 1 and expect that site selection and characteristics of personal networks change from time 1 to time 2. Holding ethnicity constant, we consider the impact of changes in personal networks and site selection in relation to self-reported changes in risk behavior at time 2 along ethnic lines.
See www.incommunityresearch.org
Learning Objectives: Recognize differences between African American and Puerto Rican drug users in HIV sero-prevalence in Hartford, CT Identify the role drug use site/location and social networks play in ethnic differences in HIV sero-prevalence among drug users. Recognize the need for ethnic specific AIDS prevention interventions.
Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Research
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: The Institute for Community Research
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.