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

Abstract #118152

Dita Broz, MPH, Susan L. Bailey, PhD, and Lawrence J. Ouellet, PhD. School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1603 W. Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60612, 312-355-4753, dbroz2@uic.edu

Objectives: To examine transitions from non-injecting heroin use to drug injection, subsequent risk practices, and infection with HIV and HCV. Methods: NIHU 16-30 years old were recruited in Chicago through street outreach and respondent-driven sampling and followed at 6 months intervals. Computerized self-administered interviews and serological data were collected at each visit. Results: Of 668 participants, 603 (90%) were eligible for a 12-month follow-up: 55% were African-American, 21% non-Hispanic white, 64% male, and median age was 26. At baseline, 18% had ever injected, though not in the prior 6 months. HIV and HCV seroprevalence was 3.6% and 2.5%, respectively. At 12-month follow-up, injection initiation/resumption was reported by 38% (n=29) of former injectors and 10% (n=42) of those with no history of injection. In multivariate analysis, first-ever injection was more likely among White than African-American NIHU (X²=5.809, p=0.016) and those younger than 25 years (X²=4.308, p=0.038). First-ever injectors often receptively shared needles (46%), cookers (40%), cotton (28%), and water (29%) and 39% reported being injected by someone else. Former injectors who remained noninjectors were more likely to be African-American than White (74% vs 59%, X²=2.240, p=0.134), report no chance of injecting in the future (X²=4.693, p=0.030) and to have not used heroin daily (X²=6.710, p=0.010). During follow-up 3 HCV seroconversions were observed, one in a first-ever injector. Conclusions: NIHU who were White and those under 25 years of age were significantly more likely to initiate injection within one year of baseline. High-risk injection practices were common at initiation.

Learning Objectives:

• Examine transition from noninjecting heroin use to drug injection
• Identify high risk injection practices at initiation to injecting
• Document infection with HIV and HCV among non-injecting heroin users

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.