HIV risk among women injecting drug users who are in jail

Female offender populations and females in jail include large proportions of injecting drug users (IDUs), who are at high risk of contracting or transmitting HIV. Women IDUs (n = 165) were recruited and interviewed at New York City's central jail facility for women. The study examined these women's patterns of HIV risk behaviors related to drugs and sex and identified behavioral and attitudinal correlates of HIV serostatus. The women typically used both injectable and non-injectable drugs prior to arrest, primarily heroin, cocaine powder, crack, and illicit methadone. Self-reported HIV seropositivity was 43%. Variables correlated with HIV serostatus in the bivariate analysis were: cocaine injection frequency; lifetime injection risk behavior; providing oral sex during male crack use; Hispanic ethnicity; sharing of needles/syringes; sharing of cookers; sharing injection equipment with friends; heroin smoking (negative); injection risk acceptance; peer norms and behavior; lifetime sexual risk behavior; frequency of sex with men; provision of sex for money or drugs; and knowing people with AIDS. The first four variables listed retained statistical significance in a multiple logistic regression analysis. The paper considers the need to tailor AIDS prevention interventions for woman IDUs in jail, including taking into account risk behaviors that occur within frequently reported same-sex partnerships.