HIGH-RISK PERSONAL NETWORKS AND SYRINGE SHARING AS RISK-FACTORS FOR HIV-INFECTION AMONG NEW DRUG INJECTORS

In a cross-sectional study of 174 new injecting drug users (IDUs) in N ew York City who had injected for less than or equal to 6 years, we ex amined whether those who both share syringes and have personal risk ne tworks that include high-risk injectors are particularly likely to be infected with HIV. Subjects were street recruited between July 1991 an d January 1993, were interviewed about their risk behaviors in the pri or 2 years and their personal risk networks with other IDUs in the pri or 30 days, and were tested for HIV; 20% were HIV seropositive. Among those who both shared syringes and had a personal risk network member who injected more than once a day, 40% were HIV seropositive (versus 1 4% for others, p < 0.001). In simultaneous multiple logistic regressio n, the interaction of both sharing syringes and having a personal risk network member who injected more than once a day remained independent ly and significantly associated with being HIV seropositive (OR, 3.57; 95% CI, 1.22, 10.43; p < 0.020), along with Latino race/ethnicity and exchanging sex for money or drugs. These findings suggest that the co mbination of sharing syringes with having a high-risk personal network is a risk factor for HIV infection among new IDUs. Studies of risk fa ctors for HIV infection among new IDUs and interventions to reduce the spread of HIV among them should focus on their risk networks as well as their risk behaviors.