Objective: Despite recent trends towards later age of first injection, some people become early initiates who first inject during adolescence. We compare them with later initiates.
Methods: 354 injecting drug users who had injected £ 6 years were recruited and interviewed in 1997-99 through targeted outreach in a high drug use neighborhood of NYC.
Results: 33% first injected before age 18. Both groups were approximately 36% female and primarily white. Heroin was typically used (81% overall) at initiation.
|
% of early intiates |
% of later initiates |
p |
||
|
Background: |
||||
|
HS Education |
42 |
72 |
.001 |
|
|
Ever in: |
Orphanage |
25 |
17 |
.070 |
|
Mental health ward/facility |
25 |
15 |
.033 |
|
|
Juvenile detention center |
37 |
12 |
.001 |
|
|
No heroin/cocaine use prior to injection |
33 |
12 |
.001 |
|
|
Became a frequent injector within 6 mths. |
61 |
75 |
.005 |
|
|
Recent (last 6 mths.) risk behaviors: |
||||
|
Injected mostly in the street |
74 |
52 |
.001 |
|
|
Injected with companions |
97 |
87 |
.005 |
|
|
Used syringes to split drug solutions |
68 |
40 |
.001 |
|
|
Shared cookers/cotton/rinse water |
76 |
55 |
.001 |
|
|
Receptive syringe sharing |
37 |
25 |
.013 |
|
|
Backloaded |
50 |
30 |
.001 |
|
Conclusion: Early injection is often probably part of, or a result of, broader problems in youths’ lives. For many early initiates injection is the introduction to "hard drugs", although they may be slower to become frequent injectors than later initiates. Higher rates of injection risk behaviors among early initiates put them at high risk for HIV (and other) infections.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session the participant will understand that: a) HIV risk behavior levels among injection drug users may be higher among those IDUs who started injecting during adolescence 2) Interventions to prevent/reduce injection drug use among adolescents would have maximum impact
Keywords: HIV Risk Behavior, Injection Drug Users
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.