Pharmacy Intervention to Improve HIV Testing Uptake Using a Comprehensive Health Screening Approach.

Objective: HIV testing is increasingly available, yet barriers to HIV testing persist for low-income black and Latino people, especially those who use illicit drugs. HIV exceptionalism, or the idea that a positive HIV diagnosis is drastically different from a diagnosis for any other disease, may influence HIV testing-related stigma, resulting in reduced willingness to undergo HIV testing. This pharmacy-based intervention combined HIV testing with less stigmatized chronic disease screening tests (e.

Epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus-1 and hepatitis B virus co-infection and risk factors for acquiring these infections in the Fako division of Southwest Cameroon.

Background: Past studies have demonstrated that a large population of Cameroonians are afflicted with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and/or hepatitis B virus (HBV) demonstrating a need for better prevention programs. We aim to describe the prevalence of HIV, HBV and HIV/HBV co-infection; examine the association between HIV and HBV; and determine risk correlates associated with HIV and HBV transmission in Southwest Cameroon.

Methods: A cross-sectional, community-based surveillance study was conducted among adults in five hospitals , one in each of the five health districts of the Fako division of the Southwest region of Cameroon.

Community Impact of Pharmacy-Randomized Intervention to Improve Access to Syringes and Services for Injection Drug Users.

Objectives: In an effort to reduce HIV transmission among injection drug users (IDUs), New York State deregulated pharmacy syringe sales in 2001 through the Expanded Syringe Access Program by removing the requirement of a prescription. With evidence suggesting pharmacists' ability to expand their public health role, a structural, pharmacy-based intervention was implemented to determine whether expanding pharmacy practice to include provision of HIV risk reduction and social/medical services information during the syringe sale would (a) improve pharmacy staff attitudes toward IDUs (b) increase IDU syringe customers, and (c) increase prescription customer base in New York City neighborhoods with high burden of HIV and illegal drug activity.

Methods: Pharmacies (n = 88) were randomized into intervention (recruited IDU syringe customers into the study and delivered intervention activities), primary control (recruited IDU syringe customers only) and secondary control (did not recruit IDUs or deliver intervention activities) arms.

The Relationship Between Multiple Forms of Discrimination, Neighborhood Characteristics, and Depression Among Illicit Drug Users in New York City.

It is plausible that features of the social environment combined with experiences of discrimination may help further explain experiences of depression among illicit drug users. We examined the influence of census tract-level characteristics and multiple forms of individual-level discrimination on lifetime depression among illicit drug users in New York City enrolled in the "Social Ties Associated With Risk of Transition" study. Population average models accounted for clustering of individuals within census tracts.

Attitudes toward Web application supporting pharmacist-clinician comanagement of postexposure prophylaxis patients.

Objectives: To qualitatively explore clinician and pharmacist attitudes toward using a Web application virtual pharmacist-clinician partnership (VPCP) to assist with comanaged care of illicit drug-using patients prescribed postexposure prophylaxis (PEP).

Design: Qualitative, descriptive, nonexperimental study.

Setting: New York City (NYC) from February 2011 to March 2012.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Recent Drug Detoxification Enrollment and the Role of Discrimination and Neighborhood Factors.

Drug detoxification and long-term drug treatment utilization is lower for drug-dependent minorities than Whites. Log-binomial regression was used to assess discrimination and neighborhood-level factors on past 6-month drug treatment utilization among 638 New York City (NYC) drug users between 2006 and 2009. Drug-use discrimination was positively associated with detoxification and long-term treatment.

Social network members' roles and use of mental health services among drug users in New York City.

Depression is more common among drug users (15-63 %) than the general population (5-16 %). Lack of social support network members may be associated with low mental health service (MHS) use rates observed among drug users. We investigated the relationship between social network members' roles and MHS use among frequent drug users using Social Ties Associated with Risk of Transition into Injection Drug Use data (NYC 2006-2009).

Randomized, community-based pharmacy intervention to expand services beyond sale of sterile syringes to injection drug users in pharmacies in New York City.

Structural interventions may help reduce racial/ethnic disparities in HIV. In 2009 to 2011, we randomized pharmacies participating in a nonprescription syringe access program in minority communities to intervention (pharmacy enrolled and delivered HIV risk reduction information to injection drug users [IDUs]), primary control (pharmacy only enrolled IDUs), and secondary control (pharmacy did not engage IDUs). Intervention pharmacy staff reported more support for syringe sales than did control staff.

The relationship between discrimination and high-risk social ties by race/ethnicity: examining social pathways of HIV risk.

High-risk social ties portend differences in opportunity for HIV exposures and may contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in HIV transmission. Discrimination may affect the formation of high-risk social ties and has not been explored as a possible explanation for these persistent disparities. Using data from injection and non-injection drug users, we examined the association between the number of high-risk sex and drug ties with discrimination due to race, drug use, and incarceration stratified by race/ethnicity.

Individual and neighborhood correlates of membership in drug using networks with a higher prevalence of HIV in New York City (2006-2009).

Purpose: To identify individual- and neighborhood-level correlates of membership within high HIV prevalence drug networks.

Methods: We recruited 378 New York City drug users via respondent-driven sampling (2006-2009). Individual-level characteristics and recruiter-recruit relationships were ascertained and merged with 2000 tract-level U.

The importance of measuring and accounting for potential biases in respondent-driven samples.

Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is often viewed as a superior method for recruiting hard-to-reach populations disproportionately burdened with poor health outcomes. As an analytic approach, it has been praised for its ability to generate unbiased population estimates via post-stratified weights which account for non-random recruitment. However, population estimates generated with RDSAT (RDS Analysis Tool) are sensitive to variations in degree weights.

The influence of neighborhood characteristics on the relationship between discrimination and increased drug-using social ties among illicit drug users.

Social discrimination may isolate drug users into higher risk relationships, particularly in disadvantaged neighborhood environments where drug trade occurs. We used negative binomial regression accounting for clustering of individuals within their recruitment neighborhood to investigate the relationship between high-risk drug ties with various forms of social discrimination, neighborhood minority composition, poverty and education. Results show that experiencing discrimination due to drug use is significantly associated with more drug ties in neighborhoods with fewer blacks.

Social and individual risk determinants of HIV testing practices among noninjection drug users at high risk for HIV/AIDS.

HIV testing services and research among drug users has largely focused on injection drug users (IDUs); yet noninjection drug users (NIDUs) are also at increased risk for HIV due to high-risk sexual behaviors and overlapping networks with IDUs. This study examined drug use, sexual risk, and social network characteristics associated with recent HIV testing (testing within past year) among NIDUs. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were conducted among 418 NIDUs and log-binomial regression models were used to identify correlates of recent HIV testing.

Pharmacy staff characteristics associated with support for pharmacy-based HIV testing.

Objectives: To determine support of in-pharmacy human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing among pharmacy staff and the individual-level characteristics associated with in-pharmacy HIV testing support.

Design: Descriptive, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study.

Setting: New York City (NYC) from January 2008 to March 2009.

The relationship between perceived discrimination and high-risk social ties among illicit drug users in New York City, 2006-2009.

Discrimination can influence risk of disease by promoting unhealthy behaviors (e.g., smoking, alcohol use).

Differences in self-reported discrimination by primary type of drug used among New York City drug users.

Background: Illicit drug users experience various forms of discrimination which may vary by type of drug used, as there are different levels of stigma associated with different types of drugs.

Objectives: This study investigated self-report of perceived discrimination by primary type of drug used.

Methods: This analysis used data from "Social Ties Associated with Risk of Transition into Injection Drug Use" (START), a cross-sectional study of recently initiated injection drug users (IDUs) and prospective study of heroin/crack/cocaine-using non-IDUs (n = 652).

Individual, study, and neighborhood level characteristics associated with peer recruitment of young illicit drug users in New York City: optimizing respondent driven sampling.

Recruiting a representative sample using respondent driven sampling (RDS) relies on successful peer recruitment. While prior studies have identified individual-level characteristics associated with peer recruitment, study- and neighborhood-level factors may also influence peer recruitment. This analysis aimed to identify individual-, study-, and neighborhood-level factors associated with RDS peer recruitment.

The association between parental risk behaviors during childhood and having high risk networks in adulthood.

Background: Prior research suggests that both social networks and parent drug use influence individual drug use among adolescents and that peers continue to influence drug use among adults. This analysis aims to determine whether parent drug use during childhood is associated with having drug-using networks in adulthood after adjusting for individual adult drug use.

Methods: 650 young adult drug users were recruited through targeted street outreach and respondent-driven sampling in New York City (2006-2009).

Does respondent driven sampling alter the social network composition and health-seeking behaviors of illicit drug users followed prospectively?

Respondent driven sampling (RDS) was originally developed to sample and provide peer education to injection drug users at risk for HIV. Based on the premise that drug users' social networks were maintained through sharing rituals, this peer-driven approach to disseminate educational information and reduce risk behaviors capitalizes and expands upon the norms that sustain these relationships. Compared with traditional outreach interventions, peer-driven interventions produce greater reductions in HIV risk behaviors and adoption of safer behaviors over time, however, control and intervention groups are not similarly recruited.

Subpopulations of illicit drug users reached by targeted street outreach and respondent-driven sampling strategies: implications for research and public health practice.

Purpose: To determine whether illicit drug users recruited through respondent-driven sampling (RDS) and targeted street outreach (TSO) differ by comparing two samples recruited concurrently with respect to sample selection and potential recruitment biases.

Methods: Two hundred seventeen (217) heroin, crack, and cocaine users aged 18-40 years were recruited through TSO in New York City (2006-2009). Forty-six RDS seeds were recruited similarly and concurrently, yielding a maximum of 14 recruitment waves and 357 peer recruits.

Overview of HIV among injection drug users in New York City: critical next steps to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities.

At the start of the HIV epidemic, 50% of new infections were among injection drug users (IDUs) in New York City. While HIV has declined among IDUs since the mid-1990s, parenteral transmission continues to overburden Blacks/Hispanic IDUs. Individual risk behaviors do not explain the distribution of HIV/AIDS among IDUs.

HIV risk behaviors among young drug using women who have sex with women (WSWs) in New York City.

Previous research has suggested that multiple stressors may work in tandem to affect the health of women who have sex with women (WSWs). WSWs have been a part of the HIV epidemic in New York City since the beginning, making it an ideal setting to further explore these women's risk. Among a sample of 375 heroin, crack and/or cocaine using women recruited from economically disadvantaged communities in New York City, we examined HIV seroprevalence and risk behaviors among WSWs as compared to women who have sex with men only (WSMOs).

Comparison of HIV risk by duration of injection drug use.

Early studies documented an inverse association between the HIV risk and duration of injection among injection drug users (IDUs). Results from subsequent studies have been inconsistent. To examine this issue, we conducted interviews with 395 street-recruited active IDUs from 38 neighborhoods in New York City during 2005 and 2008.

Individual- and neighborhood-level characteristics associated with support of in-pharmacy vaccination among ESAP-registered pharmacies: pharmacists' role in reducing racial/ethnic disparities in influenza vaccinations in New York City.

New York State (NYS) passed legislation authorizing pharmacists to administer immunizations in 2008. Racial/socioeconomic disparities persist in vaccination rates and vaccine-preventable diseases such as influenza. Many NYS pharmacies participate in the Expanded Syringe Access Program (ESAP), which allows provision of non-prescription syringes to help prevent transmission of HIV, and are uniquely positioned to offer vaccination services to low-income communities.