Alcohol availability and neighborhood characteristics in Los Angeles, California and southern Louisiana.

The objective of this study was to examine the associations between alcohol availability types and community characteristics in randomly selected census tracts in Southern California and Southeastern Louisiana. Outlet shelf space and price by beverage type was collected from all off-sale alcohol outlets in 189 census tracts by trained research personnel. Three aspects of alcohol availability at the census tract level were considered--outlets per roadway mile, shelf space, and least price by beverage type.

Are racial disparities in alcohol treatment completion associated with racial differences in treatment modality entry? Comparison of outpatient treatment and residential treatment in Los Angeles County, 1998 to 2000.

Objective: To determine whether racial and ethnic disparities in publicly funded alcohol treatment completion are due to racial differences in attending outpatient and residential treatment.

Methods: Statistical analysis of alcohol treatment completion rates using alcohol treatment patients' discharge records from all publicly funded treatment facilities in Los Angeles County from 1998 to 2000 (n = 10,591).

Results: Among these patients, African American (OR = 0.

Community characteristics associated with HIV risk among injection drug users in the San Francisco Bay Area: a multilevel analysis.

Community characteristics have been associated with racial and ethnic health disparities for a wide range of ailments and conditions. Previous research has found that rates of AIDS cases among injection drug users (IDUs) vary by community characteristics. However, few studies have examined whether community characteristics are associated with HIV risk behaviors among IDUs.

Approval of syringe exchange programs in California: results from a local approach to HIV prevention.

Objectives: We studied the effect of local approval of syringe exchange programs in California (through Assembly AB136) on program availability and performance.

Methods: We determined the number of active syringe exchange programs in California by conducting Internet searches and obtaining information from the state and from local programs. To track changes in program availability and performance between 2000 and 2002, we interviewed 24 program directors annually for 3 years about program characteristics, syringe exchange policies, law enforcement contact, and other issues.

Examination of the association between syringe exchange program (SEP) dispensation policy and SEP client-level syringe coverage among injection drug users.

Aim: To determine whether syringe exchange programs' (SEPs) dispensation policy is associated with syringe coverage among SEP clients.

Design: Cross-sectional samples of SEPs and their clients.

Setting: SEPs in California, USA.

Higher syringe coverage is associated with lower odds of HIV risk and does not increase unsafe syringe disposal among syringe exchange program clients.

Objective: To determine if adequate syringe coverage --"one shot for one syringe"--among syringe exchange program (SEP) clients is associated with injection-related HIV risk behaviors and syringe disposal.

Design: HIV risk assessments with 1577 injection drug users (IDUs) recruited from 24 SEPs in California between 2001 and 2003. Individual syringe coverage was calculated as a proportion of syringes retained from SEP visits to total number of injections in the last 30 days.

National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign and school-based drug prevention: Evidence for a synergistic effect in ALERT Plus.

This analysis examined the possible synergistic effect of exposure to the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign and a classroom-based drug prevention curriculum among 9th grade students participating in a randomized trial of ALERT Plus. A total of 45 South Dakota high schools and their middle-school feeder(s) were randomly assigned to an ALERT condition (basic prevention curriculum delivered in 7th and 8th grades), an ALERT Plus condition (basic curriculum with booster lessons added for 9th and 10th grades), or a control condition. Marijuana use in the past month was significantly less likely among ALERT Plus students reporting at least weekly exposure to anti-drug media messages.

Sterile syringe access conditions and variations in HIV risk among drug injectors in three cities.

Aim: Better sterile syringe access should be associated with a lower likelihood of syringe re-use and receptive syringe sharing, although few empirical studies have examined gradients in syringe access using both individual and ecological data. In this study, we compare syringe re-use and receptive syringe sharing among injection drug users (IDUs) with syringe exchange program (SEP) and legal over-the-counter pharmacy access with limits on syringes that can be purchased, exchanged or possessed to IDUs with no pharmacy sales but unlimited syringe access through SEPs. We address three questions: (1) Does residing in an area with no legal syringe possession increase the likelihood of police contact related to possessing drug paraphernalia? (2) Among direct SEP users, is use of more permissive SEPs associated with less likelihood of syringe re-use and receptive syringe sharing? (3) Among non-SEP users, is residing in an area with pharmacy access associated with lower likelihood of syringe re-use and receptive syringe sharing?

Design: Quantitative survey of IDUs recruited from SEPs, subject nomination and outreach methods.