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Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to:
1. Describe prevalence of behaviors conducive to HIV transmission among selected SHAS subjects
2. Understand determinants of bloodborne & sexually transmitted pathogens' propagation
3. Describe how these determinants relate to subjects' behaviors
Background:
Over one third of AIDS cases reported to the CDC through 2003 were related to IDU. CDC's Supplement to HIV-AIDS Surveillance (SHAS) project extends the national HIV/AIDS Reporting System (HARS) by collecting information on risk behaviors among persons newly reported with HIV or AIDS.
Methods:
Nineteen state & local health departments participating in SHAS from May 2000 through December 2003 provided data from personally administered questionnaires. Data included information on sexual behavior and drug use. For this study, IDU-related HIV infections were defined as membership in one of the following three groups as classified in HARS: injection drug users, men who have sex with men and inject drugs, and heterosexual sex partners of injectors.
Results:
Of 8,268 SHAS subjects, 2,039 (25%) had an IDU-related HIV infection. Of these: 264 (13%) were active injectors, among whom 77 (29%) had a works-sharing partner who injected after the interviewee at least once during the previous twelve months; 240 were men who had vaginal intercourse at last sex with a steady HIV-negative or unknown serostatus partner, among whom 199 (83%) did not use condoms; 256 were women who had vaginal intercourse at last sex with a steady HIV-negative or unknown serostatus partner, among whom 182 (68%) had unprotected sex.
Conclusions:
We found evidence of risky sexual and injecting behaviors among SHAS interviewees. These data suggest that new HIV and other bloodborne and sexually transmitted infections can spread from existing IDU-related infections. Integrated prevention efforts should be strengthened to reduce risky behaviors among HIV-positive IDU's and their sexual and needle-sharing partners.
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See more of The 2005 National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference