Oral human papillomavirus infection among drug users in Puerto Rico.

Objective: The prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the oral cavity has not been as well studied as genital infection and its prevalence among drug users is uncertain. This study describes the prevalence and correlates of oral HPV infection among a sample of drug users in Puerto Rico (PR).

Methods: Cross-sectional study of 271 drug users aged 18-35 years, not undergoing substance abuse treatment, living in the San Juan metropolitan area.

THE ROLE OF NUCLEAR IMAGING IN TRAUMATIC HEPATOPLEURAL FISTULA: A CASE REPORT.

Penetrating injuries are a major cause of mortality and morbidity. The most common diagnostic tool used in this setting is CT scan. We present a case of a traumatic hepatopleural fistula demonstrated by hepatobiliary scintigraphy.

Predictors of school dropout among adolescents in Puerto Rico.

Objective: This research aims to understand the circumstances associated with school dropout in a cohort of Puerto Rican adolescents.

Methods: The study collected data from adolescents and their parents. Information related to school dropout among adolescents was obtained from the second year follow-up data from the longitudinal study funded by NIDA "Risky Families Embedded in Risky Environments" (Grant No.

Pilot trial of an intervention aimed at modifying drug preparation practices among injection drug users in Puerto Rico.

Injection drug users (IDUs) contaminate preparation materials with blood-borne pathogens by using syringes as measuring and dispensing devices. In collaboration with IDUs, we developed a preventive intervention consisting of four new preparation practices aimed at avoiding the use of syringes in the preparation, and reducing the contamination of the materials. This report describes the results of a pilot trial introducing the new practices to ascertain their adoption potential and their potential efficacy in reducing contamination.

Designing an experimental HIV/HCV intervention to promote the safe re-use of drug preparation materials by injection drug users in Puerto Rico.

Injection drug users (IDUs) in San Juan, Puerto Rico are characterized by high rates of daily injecting, injection of shared drugs, re-use of injection syringes, and use of shooting galleries. They lack adequate access to new injection syringes and drug preparation equipment, and experience elevated rates of HIV and HCV infection. Between April and August, 2006, researchers and active IDUs collaborated in the development of an experimental HIV/HCV intervention aimed at identifying drug preparation items and practices that will enable IDUs to make drug solutions without potentially contaminated injection syringes contacting materials used to prepare drugs.

Neighborhood disorganization, substance use, and violence among adolescents in Puerto Rico.

This study investigates the role of neighborhoods in adolescent violence in poor neighborhoods in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The study is part of a larger longitudinal project examining risk and resilience in adolescents' ages 12 to 15 years old and their caregivers. Using a cross-sectional design, a self-completion questionnaire, and an interviewer questionnaire, the authors assessed violent behaviors among participants across demographics, characteristics, and neighborhood social disorganization using the concepts of physical disorders and social disorder.

Correlates of early sexual activity among Hispanic children in middle adolescence.

Objective: We analyzed early sexual activity among Hispanic 14 to 15-year-old adolescents residing in a poor neighborhood in Puerto Rico.

Methods: Information from a sample of 325 adolescents was collected from a randomized sample of community households. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the variables that help explained adolescents' sexual behavior.

Prevalence and correlates of hepatitis C virus infection among street-recruited injection drug users in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Throughout the world, injection drug users (IDUs) are the group at highest risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. IDUs residing in the island of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican IDUs residing in the U.S.