Objective: To describe distributions of drug-scene roles, and their relationships to risk and transmission behaviors and to egocentric network characteristics, in East Harlem (EH) and Bayamón.
Methods: 561 street-recruited IDUs in EH, and 313 in Bayamón, were asked the number of days (in last 30) in which they earned money or drugs in each of 7 drug-scene roles; and about risk and transmission behaviors and egocentric risk partner characteristics in the last 30 days. Significant relationships (p < .05) are indicated by *.
Results:
|
Percent in each Role, by site |
|||||||
|
|
Drug dealing* (dealing) |
Copped drugs for another* (Coppers) |
Needle selling* |
Hit doctor* |
Bought needles for another* |
Operated shooting gallery* |
Took other to shooting gallery * |
|
EH |
28% |
43% |
11% |
6% |
8% |
1% |
7% |
|
Bayamón |
19% |
25% |
6% |
12% |
17% |
8% |
14% |
Considering the two most common roles in each city, IDUs who engaged in dealing did so _ 10 days in EH (55%) and Bayamón (63%) as did most "Coppers" (EH 74%, Ba 90%). All roles except dealing and needle selling were associated with significantly higher sexual- and injection- risk and transmission behavior, and with likelihood of having high-risk injection or sex partners, than other IDUs in each site. Dealers and needle-sellers had enhanced levels of risk on a few behavioral or network variables.
Conclusions: Drug-scene role structures vary between cities. Although some roles, at least, are part-time pursuits, those who engage in them seem to be at enhanced behavioral and network risk for acquiring or transmitting blood-borne infections.
Learning Objectives: This session will help the participant to understand: 1. What roles there are in the drug scene. 2. How the frequency of such roles differ among Puerto Rican injection drug users in two different locations, one on the Island and one on the Mainland. 3. How drug scene roles are related to sexual and injection risk behaviors, sexual and injection transmission behaviors, and characteristics of sexual and drug-injection networks—all of which affect the probability of acquiring HIV and other infectious agents and, if infected, of transmitting them to others
Keywords: Drug Injectors, Roles
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.