Pain Symptoms Associated with Opioid Use among Vulnerable Persons with HIV: An exploratory study with implications for palliative care and opioid abuse prevention.

Current or former injection drug users with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at high risk for pain, which adversely affects their quality of life and may increase their risk for illicit drug use or relapse. We explored associations between pain symptoms and substance use among injection-drug-using study participants with HIV who had histories of heroin use. Using generalized estimating equations and controlling for prior substance use, we found that pain in each six-month period was associated with the use of heroin and prescription opioids, but not the use of nonopioid drugs or alcohol.

Substance use, mental illness, and familial conflict non-negotiation among HIV-positive African-Americans: latent class regression and a new syndemic framework.

We evaluated a synergistic epidemic (syndemic) of substance use, mental illness, and familial conflict non-negotiation among HIV-positive injection drug users (IDU). Baseline BEACON study data was utilized. Latent class analyses identified syndemic classes.

Gender Differences in Psychosocial Factors Associated with HIV Viral Suppression Among African-American Injection Drug Users.

Research suggests gender differences exist in achieving undetectable viral load (UVL) among persons living with HIV (PLHIV), and that psychosocial health factors may play a role. The present study examined these factors among African-American PLHIV enrolled in the BEACON study. Participants completed self-report surveys and gave biomarker data.

Informal HIV Caregiver Proxy Reports of Care Recipients' Treatment Adherence: Relationship Factors Associated with Concordance with Recipients' Viral Suppression.

To explore the role of informal caregivers in adherence, we compared adherence reports by caregivers to those of care recipients. We identified individual-level and relationship factors associated with agreement between caregivers' reports of recipients' adherence and assessed viral suppression. Participants were care recipients, who were on ART and had ever injected drugs, and their caregivers (N = 258 dyads).

Informal Caregiver Characteristics Associated with Viral Load Suppression Among Current or Former Injection Drug Users Living with HIV/AIDS.

Few studies have examined the association between having an informal (unpaid) caregiver and viral suppression among persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) who are on antiretroviral therapy. The current study examined relationships between caregivers' individual and social network characteristics and care recipient viral suppression. Baseline data were from the BEACON study caregivers and their HIV seropositive former or current drug using care recipients, of whom 89 % were African American (N = 258 dyads).

Latent growth curve analyses of emotional support for informal caregivers of vulnerable persons with HIV/AIDS.

People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) have growing rates of morbidity and need for informal care, especially among drug-using PLHIV. Informal caregivers, or persons providing unpaid emotional or instrumental support, have protective effects on the health and well-being of PLHIV. Research suggests that social support, including care recipients' reciprocity of emotional support, is important to sustained caregiving.

Predictors of substance use among vulnerable adolescents in five cities: findings from the well-being of adolescents in vulnerable environments study.

Purpose: Adolescent substance use has numerous consequences. Our goals in this article are to compare the prevalence and correlates of substance use among ethnically diverse adolescents.

Methods: Data were from 2,332 adolescents aged 15-19 years recruited via respondent-driven sampling from disadvantaged settings in five cities.

Preferences for professional versus informal care at end of life amongst African-American drug users with HIV/AIDS.

With the advent of antiretroviral therapies, persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIVs) are living longer but with increased impairment and care needs. The purpose of this study was to assess whether a vulnerable population of PLHIVs preferred informal versus professional care when unable to care for themselves, and individual and support network factors associated with preference for informal care. The findings have potential implications for facilitating the population's informal care at end of life.

Perceived mental health status of drug users with HIV: concordance between caregivers and care recipient reports and associations with caregiving burden and reciprocity.

Because caregivers' monitoring of care recipients' mental health status likely facilitates provision of needed forms of assistance, the current study examines relationship factors associated with agreement in caregiver- and recipient self-reports of recipients' mental health status. Participants were former or current injection drug using persons with HIV/AIDS and their main caregivers (N = 258 dyads). Care recipients completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale and caregivers responded to a single item rating their recipients' mental health.

Validation of a patient-centered culturally sensitive health care provider inventory using a national sample of adult patients.

Objective: The Tucker-Culturally Sensitive Health Care Provider Inventory - Patient Form (T-CSHCPI-PF) is an inventory for culturally diverse patients to evaluate provider cultural sensitivity in the health care process. The T-CSHCPI-PF is novel in that it assesses provider cultural sensitivity as defined by culturally diverse patients. The purpose of the present study was to determine the factor structure and internal consistency reliability of the T-CSHCPI-PF.