AIDS risk behavior patterns among intravenous drug users in Puerto Rico and the United States
Robles, R.R.; Colón, H.M.; Matos, T.D.; Marrero, C.A.; López, C.M.
Boletin de la Asociacion Medica de Puerto Rico 82(12): 523-527
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-4849 PMID: 2078254 Document Number: 700025
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, 385 i.v. drug users recruited in the street as part of the Puerto Rico AIDS Prevention Project (PRAPP) were interviewed about drug use and sexual practices and the data compared with those from similar projects in mainland USA. Nearly 60% of the island's drug users were aged <35 years. 20.5% of the islanders reported use of crack. 85% injected drugs daily and 50% rented or borrowed needles; 64% used shooting galleries to inject drugs on half or more occasions (compared with 28% of Puerto Ricans on the mainland). Although islanders claimed not to share needles as frequently as other groups they shared the "cooker" with peers at a higher rate (81%) than other groups, and islanders and other Hispanics were less likely to clean needles with bleach and use condoms. About 45% of the PRAPP participants are HIV positive.Hilary Richardson.
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