Suchergebnisse

Previous studies that have identified the predictors of prescription drug abuse have either focused on a specific age group or pooled all age groups together into one sample. This approach constrains the predictors to have the same effect across age groups. In this study, we use the 2001 to 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to estimate separate models across five age groups for the past year nonmedical use of prescription drugs. The results indicate that several factors (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity marital status, other substance use) have quite different correlations with prescription drug abuse across age groups. This suggests that more accurate profiles of prescription drug abusers can be obtained by estimating separate models for different age groups.

In 1989, from May to December, 1,440 injection drug users (IDUs) in Newark and Jersey City, not enrolled in treatment, were recruited by outreach to storefront offices, where they were interviewed about AIDS-risk behaviors and tested for antibodies to HIV. Information was gathered on drug use and sexual patterns, health, criminality and demographics. Data from 1,278 IDUs (88.75%) were analyzed; 667 (52.5%) tested HIV-antibody positive. Using univariate and multivariate analysis, thirteen variables were identified that were significantly and independently associated with seropositivity, including years since first drug injection, injecting mixed heroin and cocaine, frequent injection of cocaine by itself, no "crack" use, no noninjected heroin use, time in jail, abuse of glue or paint thinner, absence of sexual activity, subjects' global rating of their own AIDS risk, health history, gender, race and education. Implications for HIV risk assessment in other regions and for the development of interventions are discussed.