Addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic among puerto rican people who inject drugs: The need for a multiregion approach

S. Deren, C. Gelpí-Acosta, C.E. Albizu-García, Á. González, D.C. Des Jarlais and S. Santiago-Negrón

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 11, 2030-2036

Abstract: High levels of HIV risk behaviors and prevalence have been reported among Puerto Rican people who inject drugs (PRPWID) since early in the HIV epidemic. Advances in HIV prevention and treatment have reduced HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) in the UnitedStates. We examined HIV-related data for PRPWID in Puerto Rico and the US Northeast to assess whether disparities continue. Injection drug use as a risk for HIV is still overrepresented among Puerto Ricans. Lower availability of syringe exchanges, drug abuse treatment, and antiretroviral treatment for PWID in Puerto Rico contribute to higher HIV risk and incidence. These disparities should be addressed by the development of a federally supported Northeast-Puerto Rico collaboration to facilitate and coordinate efforts throughout both regions. © 2014, American Public Health Association Inc. All rights reserved.

Keywords: complication; drug dependence treatment; epidemiology; ethnology; health disparity; Hispanic; HIV Infections; human; incidence; preventive health service; Puerto Rico; risk factor; substance abuse; United States; United States, Health Status Disparities; Hispanic Americans; HIV Infections; Humans; Incidence; Needle-Exchange Programs; New England; New York City; Puerto Rico; Risk Factors; Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; Substance Abuse, Intravenous (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2014.302114_4

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302114

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