Injection drug use (IDU) paraphernalia and hepatitis B and C infection associations in a cohort of Puerto Rican IDUs in Miami, Florida

BACKGROUND: This study aims at identifying the risks for HBV and HCV infection associated with sharing intravenous drug use (IDU) paraphernalia among a specific cohort of Puerto Rican IDUs in Miami, Florida.

METHODS: Participants in the study (n=160) were all of Puerto Rican descent, 18 years of age or older and current injection drug users. Logistic regression analysis was performed on the outcome variables HBV and HCV. IDU paraphernalia included: cookers, cottons, rinse water, and needles. The backloading behavior was also analyzed.

RESULTS: Unadjusted odds for HBV infection show that using a shared cooker (OR=2.720, p=0.000); a shared cotton (OR=2.400, p=0.001); dirty rinse water (OR=2.263, p=0.003), a shared needle (OR=2.692, p=0.000); and engaging in backloading behavior (OR=2.032, p=0.001) were all associated with HBV infection. After adjusting for all other risk factors, using a shared cooker (AOR=3.365, p=0.043) and a shared needle (AOR=2.584, p=0.035) were significantly associated with HBV infection. Unadjusted odds for HCV infection show that using a shared cooker (OR=7.455, p=0.000); a shared cotton (OR=4.111, p=0.000); dirty rinse water (OR=9.333, p=0.000), a shared needle (OR=9.667, p=0.000); and engaging in backloading behavior (OR=6.833, p=0.000) were all strongly associated with HBV infection. After adjusting for all other risk factors, using a shared needle (AOR=4.447, p=0.004) was significantly associated with HCV infection.

CONCLUSIONS: Given the same IDU paraphernalia risk factors both HBV and HCV, there are different associations for infection in Puerto Rican IDUs. Further research is needed in order to understand these different risk patterns in specific Hispanic subgroups.