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Long Term
Heroin And Cocaine Users Switch to Non-Injection Drugs |
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The authors sought to
characterize New York City heroin and cocaine users who have switched from
injection to non-injection drug administration and to identify factors
associated with long-term non-injection.
New admissions were recruited at drug abuse treatment programs (2000-2004),
and drug users from the community were recruited using respondent-driven
sampling (2004). In each study, both injecting and non-injecting drug users
were included. "Former injectors" were defined as people who had used heroin
and/or cocaine in the six months prior to the interview and who had injected
illicit drugs in the past, but whose most recent injection was six or more
months prior to the study interview. "Current" injectors were defined as
people who had injected heroin and/or cocaine in the six months before the
interview.
A structured interview on drug use history was administered, and a serum
sample was taken and tested for HIV.
For the drug abuse treatment program study, 104 former injectors were
recruited, and 229 current injectors were recruited for the community
recruitment study; 160 former injectors and 1,731 current injectors were
recruited from the drug abuse treatment study.
Compared with current injectors, former injectors were older and more likely
to be African American. Former injectors reported long intervals since their
most recent injection, a mean of 8 and 12 years in the drug abuse treatment
program study and the community recruitment study, respectively. Concerns
about health, social stigmatization and self-image, and preference for
intranasal drug use were among the most common reasons for stopping
injection. The results were highly consistent across the two studies.
The authors concluded that the "transition from injection to non-injection
use appears to be a relatively stable behavior change for many former
injectors, who report a decade or more without injecting. Developing a
greater understanding of the transition from injection to stable
non-injection drug use may provide insights into the natural histories of
drug use and addiction," they noted.
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Addiction Vol. 102;
No. 5: P. 778-785 (05..07):: Don. C. Des Jarlais; Kamyar Arasteh; Theresa
Perlis; Holly Hagan; Douglas D. Heckathorn; Courtney Mcknight; Heidi Bramson;
Samuel R. Friedman |
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We are providing the above information as a public
service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay
media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases
does not constitute endorsement. The above summaries were prepared
without conducting any additional research or investigation into the
facts and statements made in the articles being summarized, and
therefore readers are expressly cautioned against relying on the
validity or invalidity of any statements made in these summaries. This
CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News
Update also includes information from CDC and
other government agencies, such as background on MMWR articles, fact
sheets and announcements. |
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