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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Alan Neaigus, PhD¹, Mingfang Zhao, MD, MPH¹, V. Anna Gyarmathy, PhD¹, Linda Cisek, MS¹, Samuel R. Friedman, PhD², and Robert C. Baxter³. (1) Institute for International Research on Youth at Risk, National Development and Research Institutes, 71 West 23rd Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010, 212-845-4480, neaigus@ndri.org, (2) IAR, National Develpment and Research Institutes, 71 West 23d Street, 8th floor, New York, NY 10010, (3) North Jersey Community Research Initiative, 393 Central Avenue, 393 Central Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103

Objective: To compare injecting drug users' (IDUs') HIV infection risk between Newark, NJ, where syringe exchange programs (SEPs) and pharmacy drug-injecting syringe sales are illegal, and New York (NYC) where they are legal. Methods: IDUs were non-treatment recruited in Newark and NYC (study ongoing), serotested and interviewed about injecting risk behaviors and new, sterile syringe sources (last 30 days), and relevant behavioral norms. City differences in infection prevalences adjusted for years since first injection; * p<0.20, ** p<0.05. Results: Participants in Newark (n=36) vs. NYC (n=97) were: male 47% vs. 48%; non-white 92% vs. 32%**; mean age in years 39.0 (SD=8.3) vs. 31.5 (SD=6.9)**; mean years since first injected 15.6 (SD=11.0) vs. 10.4 (SD=7.1)**. Prevalences, Newark vs. NYC: HIV (29% vs. 6%**); HBVcAb (68% vs. 32%**); HCVab (65% vs. 58%) (significant city differences in HIV and HBVcAb also among non-whites). Comparing Newark vs. NYC: any syringes from SEPs (3% vs. 71%**); any syringes from pharmacies (3% vs. 51%**); any legal syringe source (6% vs. 95%**); any receptive syringe sharing (33% vs. 21%*); any sharing of cookers/cotton/rinsewater (47% vs. 33%*); agree that “friends would be insulted if [participant] refused to inject with friends' used syringes” (58% vs. 24%**). Conclusions: In a locality where drug-injecting syringe distribution through SEPs or pharmacies is illegal, there is virtually no use of legal sterile syringe sources. HIV and HBVcAb prevalences and high-risk injecting behaviors/norms in this locality are greater. Legalizing access to sterile drug-injecting syringes from SEPs and pharmacies will help reduce drug-injecting infection risk.

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

• Discuss an eco-structural perspective for understanding individual injecting risk behaviors for HIV and hepatitis B and C.
• Compare the dimensions of injecting risk among injecting drug users in cities with different laws regulating the distribution of sterile syringes.
• Use this information to assess the potential health impact of laws that make the distribution of sterile syringes to injecting drug users illegal.

Keywords: Injecting Drug Use, HIV Risk Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No