Effects of long-term, medically supervised, drug-free treatment and methadone maintenance treatment on drug users' emergency department use and hospitalization.

We examined the effect of drug treatment in 1996 on repeated (> or =2) emergency department visits and hospitalization in 1997 in a cohort of New York State Medicaid-enrolled human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative drug users. In HIV-positive drug users, the adjusted odds of repeated emergency department visits were increased for those receiving no long-term treatment (odds ratio [OR], 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.

Relationship of gender, depression, and health care delivery with antiretroviral adherence in HIV-infected drug users.

Background: Antiretroviral adherence is worse in women than in men, and depression can influence medication adherence.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship of gender, depression, medical care, and mental health care to adherence in HIV-infected drug users.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Continence care and policy initiatives.

Nurses are key professionals in the provision of continence care. The authors examine the implications of recent policy initiatives on the provision of continence care to older people, both in general terms and focusing on the issue of abuse.

Outpatient patterns of care and longitudinal intensity of antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected drug users.

Objective: To examine the association of drug users' outpatient patterns of care with subsequent intensity of antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Materials And Methods: Annual types of ART in 8897 New York State Medicaid drug users who were prescribed ART for > or =6 months in 1996 or 1997 were determined. From pharmacy claims, intensity was classified from changes in annual type of ART in 1996 to 97 and 1997 to 98 as: optimal (ie, on or starting highly active ART [HAART]), acceptable (ie, on or starting 2+ non-HAART drugs), or suboptimal (ie, none, <6 months, one drug, or change from HAART to non-HAART).

Effect of medical, drug abuse, and mental health care on receipt of dental care by drug users.

We examined the association of patterns of health care in 1996 with subsequent dental care in 1997 or 1998 for 47,260 drug users enrolled in New York State Medicaid. From Medicaid files, we identified psychiatric care, prescribed antidepressants, a regular source of medical care, regular drug treatment (6+ contiguous months), and clinical conditions. Of this cohort, 58% received dental care.

HIV-1 RNA viral load monitoring in HIV-infected drug users on antiretroviral therapy: relationship with outpatient care patterns.

HIV-1 viral load (VL) testing is a standard component of HIV care. We examined the use and predictors of VL testing in drug users, a group at risk for problematic care. Using 1996 to 1998 New York State (NYS) Medicaid files, we studied drug users who had been enrolled >10 months, had been prescribed antiretroviral agents in 1997 and 1998, and who had undergone any VL testing in 1997.