HOME MEDICATION INJECTION AMONG LATINA WOMEN IN LOS-ANGELES - IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH-EDUCATION AND PREVENTION

Reuse of needles and syringes after home injection of medications and vitamins may be a risk for transmission of HIV. An exploratory study w as done to determine (1) how commonly injectable medications were used in the home; (2) whether needles and syringes were reused; and (3) co mmon practices for cleaning needles and syringes. A survey was conduct ed of low income Latina women (n = 216) who were attending a Public He alth Foundation nutrition programme for women, infants and children (W IG) in Los Angeles. To clarify and expand on the survey findings, focu s group interviews were done with an additional 55 women attending WIC . Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and comparative st atistics. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. The use of injectable medications purchased in Mexico was fairly common (43.5 %); reuse of disposable needles and syringes (48%) and sharing (36%) a mong injectors were also common. Methods of cleaning needles and syrin ges were inadequate to CDC recommended guidelines. Injectors and non-i njectors differed significantly in ethnicity, religion, and marital st atus. The only significant predictor of medication injection was educa tional level. Analysis of qualitative data revealed the reasons that L atina subjects were injecting medication; how they were transporting m edicines from Mexico; and how they were cleaning their equipment. The practical implications for health education and prevention programmes should include an awareness that home use and reuse of needles for inj ection of medications may be common in some social groups and that kno wledge of the potential dangers in reuse and sharing of needles may no t extend to home medication injection.