Injecting transition risk and depression among Mexican American non-injecting heroin users.

INTRODUCTION: Existing research has documented high comorbid rates for injecting drug use (IDU) and social and health consequences including HIV infection, a condition that disproportionately affects U.S. Hispanic populations. Few studies have examined the specific associations between injecting transition risk among non-injecting heroin using (NIU) populations and mental health conditions. This study hypothesizes that injecting transition risk will be strongly associated with depression symptomatology controlling for age and gender among Mexican American NIUs. METHODS: Street-recruited NIUs (n=300) were administered structured interviews. The Mexican American sample was predominantly male (66%), unemployed (75%) with more than half experiencing incarceration in their lifetimes (58%). Depression was measured using the CES-D scale. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were employed to determine the associations between the dependent variable of heroin injecting transition risk and the key independent variables of depression symptomatology and other independent variables. RESULTS: Depression symptomatology was the strongest independent correlate of injecting transition risk. Those NIUs with high levels of depression symptomatology had more than three times the heroin injecting transition risk than those NIUs with low levels. Heroin use network influence was also found to be a strong correlate. Acculturation level was significantly associated with injecting transition risk. CONCLUSION: The comorbid condition of depression symptomatology and heroin use places Mexican American NIUs at elevated risk of contracting blood-borne pathogens such as HIV. Development of prevention and treatment strategies that target Hispanic non-injecting heroin users in socially disadvantaged communities should consider depression symptoms and develop interventions that build new social networks.

Characteristics of male and female injecting drug users of the AjUDE-Brasil II Project.

The object of this study is to compare female and male injection drug users (IDUs) in terms of sociodemographic profile and aspects of their initiation to the use of injection drugs. It was a cross-sectional and multicentric study realized in 2000-2001 in six Brazilian syringe-exchange programs. 146 women and 709 men were interviewed, with average ages of 29.5 and 28.3 years, respectively. Both began injection drug use at similar ages, 18.6 and 19.3, for women and men, respectively, although women report more frequently than men that they were initiated by a sexual partner to acquiring drugs and syringes, and to the act of injection. Compared to men, women report significantly more regular sexual partners (83% versus 72%); fewer casual partners (39% versus 58%), more use of injection drugs with their partners, as well as more "exchange" of sex for drugs. Among HIV-seropositive individuals, women show less education, had more chance of their sexual partners participating in their initiation to injection drugs, and report sexual partners that used injection drugs more frequently. Female IDUs exhibit aspects of behavior indicating greater vulnerability to HIV infection than do males.

Artitris séptica esternoclavicular / Sternoclavicular septic arthritis

Reportamos nueve pacientes con artritis séptica esternoclavicular (ASEC), dos de los cuales fueron adictos a drogas endovenosas, pero en ningún caso a heroína. La edad promedio fue de 34.5 años. El sexo más frecuente fue el masculino. En seis pacientes se aisló el microorganismo causal, siendo el más frecuente aislado el Stafilococo aureus. Ocho pacientes fueron tratados y tuvieron excelente respuesta