Puerto Rican Baby Boomers: Injecting Drug Practices

Objective: To identify the needle exchange practices in a group of Puerto Rican Baby Boomers that are injecting drug users. Method: A cross-sectional exploratory pilot study, with a non-probabilistic sample of 50 individuals (25 females and 25 males) participating in a Needle Exchange Program was conducted. Face to Face interviews were performed in a survey to determine the drug and alcohol usage pattern. Results: 27% of the participants injected with a used syringe last time they injected. 46.7% reported to inject with used syringe “some times” during the last three months. In average the total count of used syringe for the last three months were 3 syringes per person. 66.7% shared needles with a friend. 38.9% shared needles with a friend in the shooting gallery. 41.9% only disinfects the syringe with water and 58.6% reported to somehow disinfect the syringe. 4.0% of the participants reported to had shared, sold, or rented a needle or syringe to other person after using it. Conclusion: The participants' injecting drug practices show high level of needle and paraphernalia exchange and therefore an evident risk behaviors for HIV/AIDS infection.