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

Abstract #113521

Karyn K. Heavner, MSPH¹, Haven B. Battles, PhD¹, James Tesoriero, PhD¹, Shu-Yin John Leung, MA¹, Chris Nemeth, MA², and Guthrie Birkhead, MD, MPH³. (1) Office of Program Evaluation and Research, New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, 150 Broadway, Menands, NY 12204, 518-402-6814, kkh02@health.state.ny.us, (2) Bureau of HIV/AIDS Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Rm 717 Corning Tower, Albany, NY 12237, (3) AIDS Institute, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Corning Tower Building, Room 1483, Albany, NY 12237

Background Drug users are at high risk of acquiring HIV. Differences in sexual risk between NIDU and injection drug users (IDU) are not well understood.

Objective: To investigate differences in HIV risk between NIDU and IDU.

Methods People at high risk of acquiring HIV (n=823) were interviewed in Upstate New York (2001-2004). Use of 9 non-injection and 4 injection drugs, condom use during vaginal/anal intercourse and number of sexual partners in the past year were assessed. Drug use was categorized based on the number of drugs used and frequency of use (heavy/moderate/light).

Results 63.4% of participants used illicit drugs (60.0% NIDU, 24.4% IDU). Users took a mean of 2.3 non-injection and 2.0 injection drugs. 31.3% of NIDU were heavy users compared to 74.5% of IDU. Participants had substantial sexual risk: an average of 6.3 partners and 63.7% had unprotected intercourse.

Use of any drugs was associated with unprotected intercourse. People who only used non-injection drugs were more likely to have unprotected intercourse (p<0.001) and more partners (p=0.01) than IDU.

Use of more types of non-injection drugs predicted having unprotected intercourse (p=0.009) and more partners (p<0.001). Moderate (p=0.004) and heavy (p=0.007) NIDU had more partners than light users. The number and frequency of injection drugs used by IDU were not associated with sexual risk.

Conclusion IDU carries a direct and substantial HIV risk but may diminish sexual activity. Many non-injection drugs are taken to enhance sexual activity, contributing to high sexual risk. Health professionals should address NIDU when assessing HIV risk.

Learning Objectives: After attending this session, participants will be able to

• Describe differences in the usage patterns of non-injection and injection drugs,
• Understand the associations between non-injection and injection drug use and sexual risk behavior; and
• Describe the challenges to HIV sexual risk reduction posed by both non-injection drug and injection drug use.

Keywords: HIV Risk Behavior, Substance Abuse

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.