High-risk drug use and sexual behaviors among out-of-treatment drug users: An aging and life course perspective
Data(s) |
01/01/2008
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Resumo |
High-risk injection drug use and the sexual behaviors that accompany it have large social and financial costs. Tailored treatments have been shown to successfully reduce high-risk behaviors. However, little is known about how age and age at first drug use are related to high-risk injection or sex behaviors. The current study draws on life course theory and hypothesizes that age will have a strong relationship with high-risk behaviors of out-of-treatment drug users. Data from the NIDA Cooperative Agreement was used to analyze the relationship between (1) age, and (2) age at first drug use with seven high-risk injection and sexual behavior variables. Negative binomial regression models revealed that high-risk sexual behavior decreases between 15.8 and 20.9% with each decade of age, while high-risk injection behavior increases between 32 and 67% with each decade of age after the addition of demographic controls. Both high-risk injection and high-risk sex behaviors are significantly reduced with a delayed age at first drug use. Previous research promotes interventions to reduce the high-risk sexual behaviors of older drug users. The current study suggests a refocusing of public health efforts on the high-risk injection habits of older drug users.^ |
Identificador |
http://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/dissertations/AAI1457545 |
Idioma(s) |
EN |
Publicador |
DigitalCommons@The Texas Medical Center |
Fonte |
Texas Medical Center Dissertations (via ProQuest) |
Palavras-Chave | #Health Sciences, Public Health |
Tipo |
text |