Active opioid use does not attenuate the humoral responses to inactivated influenza vaccine.

Background: Influenza vaccination is recommended for vulnerable individuals, including active drug users, to prevent influenza complications and decrease influenza spread. Recent studies suggest that opioids negatively regulate immune responses in experimental models, but the extent to which opioid use will affect the humoral responses to influenza vaccine in humans is unknown. This information is critical in maximizing vaccination efforts.

Integrated internist - addiction medicine - hepatology model for hepatitis C management for individuals on methadone maintenance.

Despite a high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among drug users, HCV evaluation and treatment acceptance are extremely low among these patients when referred from drug treatment facilities for HCV management. We sought to increase HCV treatment effectiveness among patients from a methadone maintenance treatment program (MMTP) by maintaining continuity of care. We developed, instituted and retrospectively assessed the effectiveness of an integrated, co-localized care model in which an internist-addiction medicine specialist from MMTP was embedded in the hepatitis clinic.

Reducing HIV and AIDS through Prevention (RHAP): a theoretically based approach for teaching HIV prevention to adolescents through an exploration of popular music.

Using popular culture to engage students in discussions of HIV prevention is a nontraditional approach that may complement current prevention efforts and enhance the ability to reach youth who are at high risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Hip-hop or rap music is the dominant genre of music among adolescents, especially Black and Latino youth who are disproportionately impacted by HIV and AIDS. This paper describes the rationale and development of the Reducing HIV and AIDS through Prevention (RHAP) program, a school-based program that uses hip-hop/rap music as a vehicle for raising awareness among adolescents about HIV/AIDS.

Offers of hepatitis C care do not lead to treatment.

Since 2002, clinicians have been encouraged to offer chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment to patients with injection drug use histories. We conducted 69 baseline and 35 follow-up interviews between September 2002 and November 2004 with HCV patients who were treatment-naïve and receiving regular medical care at an HIV or methadone clinic in New York City at baseline. Of the 31 patients reinterviewed, 20 (65%) were offered treatment but only 2 (7%) were treated.