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

Abstract #116947

Crystal Fuller, MPH, PhD, Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 722 W. 168th Street, 4th floor, Room 422, New York, NY 10032, (212) 342-0534, cf317@columbia.edu, Bernadette R. Hadden, PhD, School of Social Work, Hunter College of the City University of New York, 129 East 79th, New York, NY 10021, Qi Xia, Statistics Dept & Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research, Rutgers University, 473 Hill Center, 110 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8019, Carl A. Latkin, PhD, Department of Health, Policy, and Management, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, Danielle C. Ompad, PhD, Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies, New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10029, and Daniel J. Pilowsky, MD, MPH, Mailman School of Public Health-Epidemiology, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, Room 1702, New York, NY 10032.

Background: While several reports exist among adult injection drug users (IDUs), social network characteristics that promote or protect against HIV and HIV-related sexual risk behaviors among non-IDUs who use heroin, crack or cocaine have not been well described. With recent reports of more sexual risk contributing to rates of HIV (as opposed to drug use), we examined social network/social support characteristics associated with sexual risk behaviors among young adult non-IDUs in New York City. Methods: Street-recruited non-IDUs (index) who were: 18-35 years, and non-injection heroin/ crack/cocaine use, and their drug-using/sex partners (network members) were enrolled into a network-based intervention study aimed at reducing sexual risks. Baseline data were examined to determine social network/support correlates of high-risk sex behavior (≥2 sexual partners in past three months). Generalized estimating equations were used to account for the correlated data. Results: Of 264 non-IDUs, most were male (68%), black/Hispanic (90%) with a mean total network size of 6.0 (s.d.=3.0), and mean drug network size of 2.0 (s.d.=2.0). After adjustment, social network/support characteristics associated with having multiple sex partners included having a large 1) total social network [Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR =5.96]; 2) drug-using network [AOR=2.69]; 3) drug supply support network [AOR=2.00]; and 4) economic and housing support network [AOR=2.79]. Conclusions: As previously reported in older adult IDUs, network size and material/physical support were similarly associated high-risk behavior in this population of young adult non-IDUs. Using peer-based interventions to influence safer sex behaviors among street-recruited young adult non-IDUs may be effective in lowering HIV risk.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Discuss the relevance of targeting street-recruited non-injection drug users (non-IDU) of heroin, crack, and/or cocaine users with HIV prevention strategies;
• Discuss the utility of using social network based interventions to help reduce high risk sex behaviors among non-IDU heroin, crack and cocaine users;
• List and characterize high risk social networks (particularly drug networks and sexual networks) associated with individual sexual risk behavior among this population; and
• Characterize the effect of social support across different domains on individual sexual risk behavior among this population.

Keywords: Substance Abuse, Risk Taking Behavior

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.