Milton Mino, MA¹, Sherry Deren, PhD², Sung-Yeon Kang, PhD², Jonny Andia, PhD², Hector M. Colon, PhD³, and Rafaela Robles, EdD³. (1) National Development and Research Institutes, Inc, 71 West 23 Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010, 212-845-4475, MINO@NDRI.ORG, (2) National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., 71 West 23 Street, 8 Floor, New York, NY 10010, (3) Center for Addiction Studies, Universidad Central del Caribe, PO Box 60327, Bayamon, PR 00960-6032

Methods: 561 Puerto Rican injection drug users (IDUs) were recruited in NYC. Those categorized as migrants (n=221) had injected in Puerto Rico and emigrated to NYC (non migrants: n=340). Social support indicators (i.e., having someone to talk to if worried about AIDS [TA] and someone to care for them if ill [CI]) were examined by migrant status as predictors of injection risk behaviors. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analysis (controlling for demographics) were conducted with shooting gallery use and sharing injection-related equipment as dependent variables.

Results: Migrants were less likely than non-migrants to have CI (61.6% vs. 76% p=.000); TA (n.s.) In bivariate analysis CI was related to decreased shooting gallery use among migrants and non migrants (23.9% vs. 44.6%, p=.001 and 15% vs. 26.9%, p=.016, respectively). This relationship was retained in multivariate analysis for migrants (AOR=.474, CI=.247-.907, p=.024). In bivariate analysis having TA was related to decreased injection equipment sharing among migrants (23.6% vs. 37.7%, p=.036); however, TA was related to increased sharing among non migrants (21.7%. vs. 9.6%, p=.020). This relationship was retained in multivariate analysis among non migrants (AOR=2.60, CI- 1.13-6.0, p=.024).

Conclusions: Interventions for IDUs should consider the relationships between having different types of social support and injection risk behaviors, and how these relationships may vary between groups.

Learning Objectives:

• At the end of this session participants will be able to identify the associations between social support and HIV injection risks among migrant and non-migrant Puerto Rican injectors in NYC.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.