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Intravenous Drug Use and HIV Infection in Miami
Author(s) -
Page J. Bryan,
Chitwood Dale D.,
Smith Prince C.,
Kane Normie,
McBride Duane C.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
medical anthropology quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.855
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1548-1387
pISSN - 0745-5194
DOI - 10.1525/maq.1990.4.1.02a00050
Subject(s) - medicine , accidental , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , miami , drug injection , psychological intervention , population , observational study , needle sharing , syringe , intravenous drug , injection drug use , family medicine , environmental health , viral disease , syphilis , psychiatry , condom , physics , environmental science , acoustics , soil science
In this article we report the results of a study of needle‐using behaviors in a street‐recruited, noninstitutionalized sample of intravenous drug users (IVDUs) in Miami‐Dade County. Survey data, elicited from 230 IVDUs, indicate a statistically significant relationship between injection frequency and antibody seropositivity for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Self‐reported needle‐sharing behavior and use of safe houses (i.e., shooting galleries) are also related to infection. Observational data, gathered using ethnographic techniques, identify standard cleaning practices, drug sharing between syringes, and accidental punctures as additional risks of HIV infection for IVDUs. In‐depth interview data on values associated with needle use indicate that interventions focused on needle cleaning can be effective in this population.