Introduction: With decreases in needle sharing, other behaviors practiced in the process of preparing injectable drugs may become a main route of transmission of blood borne pathogens among IDUs. This presentation describes the drug preparation (DP) risk behaviors practiced by Puerto Rican IDUs in East Harlem, New York City (EH) and Bayamón, Puerto Rico (BAY). Methods: The study sample comprised 852 Puerto Rican IDUs (EH, 555; BAY, 297). The DP behaviors examined were - sharing rinse water (SharingWater), squirting drug from one syringe to another (Backloading), squirting drug back into the cooker (SquirtingBack), and drawing drugs from the same cooker (SharingCooker). Results: DP behaviors were twice more likely to be practiced than needle sharing in both cities, and IDUs in BAY were twice more likely to practice DP behaviors than IDUs in EH. In EH, 33.2% reported DP behaviors vs. 10.5% needle sharing. In BAY, the corresponding percents were 72.4% vs. 35.4%. Among IDUs practising each DP behavior, the mean number of occasions were: SharingWater - 32.8 in EH 39.4 in BAY; Backloading - 24.3 EH, 32.1 BAY; SquirtingBack - 19.4 EH, 26.4 BAY; and SharingCooker - 32.7 EH, 29.4 BAY. In multivariate logistic regression and after controlling for study city, age, gender and education, all DP behaviors were significantly associated with pooling money to buy drugs, injecting in a shooting gallery, and the clogging of syringes. Conclusions: Preventive interventions to reduce DP behaviors are urgently needed to help IDUs reduce their risks of infection with blood borne pathogens.
Learning Objectives: Recognize the role of drug preparation behaviors in the transmission of blood borne pathogens among IDUs. Discuss alternative strategies to help IDUs reduce drug preparation risk behaviors
Keywords: Injection Drug Users, HIV Risk Behavior
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
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.