| Title | Attitudes toward needle-sharing and HIV transmission risk behavior among HIV+ injection drug users in clinical care. |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2008 |
| Authors | Norton, Wynne E., Rivet K. Amico, William A. Fisher, Michael M. Copenhaver, Michael J. Kozal, Deborah H. Cornman, Gerald Friedland, and Jeffrey D. Fisher |
| Journal | AIDS care |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pagination | 462-9 |
| Date Published | 2008 Apr |
| ISSN | 1360-0451 |
| Keywords | Adult, Female, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, HIV Infections, Humans, Logistic Models, Male, Middle Aged, Needle Sharing, Risk-Taking, Substance Abuse, Intravenous |
| Abstract | Risky behavior related to injection drug use accounts for a considerable proportion of incident HIV infection in the United States. Large numbers of injection drug users (IDUs) currently receive antiretroviral therapy in clinical settings and are accessible for risk-reduction interventions to reduce transmission of drug-resistant HIV and spread of HIV to uninfected others. The current study examined attitudes toward needle- or equipment-sharing among 123 HIV-positive IDUs in clinical care in an effort to understand the dynamics of such behavior and to create a basis for clinic-based risk-reduction interventions. Results indicate that at baseline, participants who reported extremely negative attitudes toward needle-sharing were less likely to have shared during the past month than those with less-extreme negative attitudes. Demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal variables were entered into a logistic regression model to examine needle-sharing group membership among HIV-positive IDUs. Being female and having less-extreme negative attitudes toward sharing were independent and significant correlates of sharing behavior. Interventions targeting needle-sharing attitudes deployed within the clinical care setting may be well-positioned to reduce HIV transmission among HIV-positive IDUs. |
| DOI | 10.1080/09540120701867081 |
| Alternate Journal | AIDS Care |
