Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Danielle A. Lawrence, MPH¹, Anita Raj, PhD², M. Christina Santana, MPH², Jay G. Silverman, PhD³, C. Robert Horsburgh, MD⁴, and Seth Welles, ScD, PhD⁴. (1) Youth Alcohol Prevention Center, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St., Boston, MA 02118, 617-414-8438, dlawrenc@bu.edu, (2) Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St., T2W, Boston, MA 02118, (3) Division of Public Health Practice/Department of Society, Human Development & Health, Harvard University, 677 Huntington Ave., Kresge 705, Boston, MA 02115, (4) Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Talbot 317E, Boston, MA 02118

Objectives: To assess whether recent incarceration is associated with recent illicit drug use and whether associations hold true across the mostly commonly used drugs (i.e., marijuana, cocaine, and heroin or other opiates). Methods: Black men ages 18-65 reporting sex with two or more partners in the past year, attending urban clinics and community health centers in Boston, were surveyed via computer (CASI) regarding their past 30 day drug use, incarceration history, and other behavioral risks (N=539). Logistic regression analyses, controlling for age, were conducted to assess significant associations between past year incarceration and the following outcome variables: any illicit drug use, marijuana use, cocaine use, and use of heroin and/or other opiates. Results: Twenty-six percent of men surveyed reported past year incarceration; 60% had been incarcerated ever. Thirty-seven percent reported marijuana use; 22% reported cocaine use, and 12% reported use of heroine and other opiates. Men reporting past year incarceration were significantly more likely to report past 30 day illicit drug use (ORAdj=2.4, 95% CI=1.6-3.6); these findings held true for marijuana (ORAdj =1.8, 95% CI=1.2-2.7), cocaine (ORAdj =3.5, 95% CI=2.2-5.7), and heroin or other opiates (ORAdj =3.5, 95% CI=2.0-6.0). Conclusion: Past year incarceration is associated with past 30 illicit drug use, with findings being demonstrated for any drug use as well as for the most commonly reported drugs. These findings may indicate that drug use is occurring subsequent to incarceration, supporting the need for better substance abuse screening and treatment within the CJS and health center settings.

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

• Discribe the prevalence of illicit drug use among a population of Black men attending urban clinics and community health centers with a recent history of incarceration.
• Discuss the association between illicit drug use and recent history of incarceration among Black men attending urban clinics and community health centers.

Keywords: Substance Abuse, Incarceration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered