Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #107752

Stephen E. Lankenau, PhD¹, Bill Sanders, PhD², Jennifer Jackson Bloom, MPH², Susan Hathazi, BS², Stephanie Tortu, PhD³, and Michael C. Clatts, PhD⁴. (1) Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California (USC), 6430 Sunset Blvd., Suite 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90028, 323-660-2450, ext. 3116, slankenau@chla.usc.edu, (2) Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, 6430 Sunset Blvd., Suite 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90028, (3) School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2301, New Orleans, LA 70112, (4) Institute for International Research on Youth at Risk, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., 71 West 23rd Street, 8th floor, New York, NY 10010

Injection drug use is a primary risk factor for exposure to HIV and other infectious diseases. Young injection drug users (IDUs) are an important subpopulation of injectors since research indicates higher rates of HIV risk behavior among this group compared to long-term and older IDUs. While most research on young IDUs focuses on “street drugs,” such as cocaine and heroin, new research indicates that “club drugs,” such as ketamine, are being injected and present a range of risks for exposure to bloodborne pathogens. In this study, ethnographic methods were used to recruit samples of 50 young ketamine injectors from street and club settings in New York, New Orleans, and Los Angeles (N=150). Ethnographic interviews focused on syringe source, drug price, mode of administration, sharing behaviors, and polydrug use. Preliminary findings indicate that ketamine was most expensive in New Orleans where youth also had the greatest difficulty accessing sterile injection equipment. Los Angeles youth were more likely to initiate injection drug use with methamphetamine or cocaine. New York youth utilized diverse modes to administer ketamine, including both intramuscular and intravenous routes. Young injectors across all sites commonly shared injection paraphernalia, such as vials or cookers of ketamine. Collectively, these preliminary findings suggest that while ketamine injectors were differentiated by structural factors and behavioral practices in each city, high risk sharing practices were common regardless of context or location.

Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this presentation, attendees will be able to
• identify risk practices associated with ketamine injection;
• construct news ways of viewing club drugs;
• analyze different subgroups of injection drug users.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Injecting Drug Use

Presenting author's disclosure statement:


I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

U.S. Patterns of Club Drug Use

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA