Recorded presentation

Sharon M. Hudson, PhD¹, Karla D. Wagner, MA¹, Mary Latka, PhD², Susan L. Bailey, PhD³, Holly Hagan, PhD⁴, and Elizabeth T. Golub, PhD, MPH⁵. (1) Health Research Association, 1111 N. Las Palmas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038, 323-957-4147, shudson@hra-paramount.org, (2) Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies, New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10029, (3) School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois at Chicago (MC 923), 1603 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, (4) NDRI, 71 West 23rd, 8th floor, New York, NY 10010, (5) Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 627 N. Washington Street, Baltimore, MD 21205

Objective: To examine the prevalence and correlates of high-risk sexual behavior among 15- to 30-year-old female injectors. Methods: Subjects were 840 female injectors in the baseline portion of a behavioral trial (CIDUS-III/DUIT). Those with complete data on the number of sex partners were included. High-risk sexual behavior was defined as having >1 sex partner and having any unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse in the previous 3 months. Variables significantly associated with high-risk sexual behavior in bivariate models (p<0.05) were entered into multivariate logistic regressions. Results: The mean age was 23 years. Two-thirds (68%) were White, 12.4% Latina, 7.4% African American, 12% mixed or other race. Fifty percent were classified as high in sexual risk. Significant bivariate associations included: education, sexual orientation, perceived homelessness, sexual abuse history, condom self-efficacy (high score = high self-efficacy), condom outcome expectancies (high score = positive outcome), and perceived vulnerability to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (high score = high vulnerability). No differences in sexual risk were found by site or age. Sexual orientation data were missing for 206 participants because the question was added after the study began. Separate logistic regressions with and without orientation yielded virtually identical results. Significant correlates of sexual risk in the multivariate model (p<0.05) included condom outcome expectancies (OR=0.68), condom self-efficacy (OR=0.79), HCV vulnerability (OR=1.18), 9th-11th grade education (OR=1.99), sex trade (OR=1.78), and identifying as bisexual (OR=1.64). Conclusion: A large proportion reported high-risk sexual behavior. Results identified potential targets for interventions to decrease sexual risk among young female injectors.

Learning Objectives:

• Part of CIDUS-III panel

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Grant recipient

Recorded presentation