Risk of hepatitis B infection among young injection drug users in San Francisco: opportunities for intervention

Objective To compare the demographic characteristics and risk behaviors for hepatitis B infection among injection drug users younger than 30 years wit h those aged 30 or older and to evaluate participants' knowledge, attitudes , and experiences of infection, screening, and vaccination against hepatiti s B virus. Design A systematic sample of injection drug users not currently in a treatment program were recruited and interviewed at needle exchange p rograms and community sites. Participants 135 injection drug users younger than 30 years and 96 injection drug users aged 30 or older. Results Injecti on drug users younger than 30 were twice as likely as drug users aged 30 or older to report having shared needles in the past 30 days (36/135 [27%] vs 12/96 [13%]). Injection drug users younger than 30 were also twice as Like ly to report having had more than two sexual partners in the past 6 months (80/135 [53%] vs 29/96 [30%]). Although 88 of 135 (68%) young injection dru g users reported having had contact with medical providers within the past 6 months only 13 of 135 (10%) had completed the hepatitis B vaccine series and only 16 of (13%) perceived themselves as being at high risk of becoming infected with the virus. Conclusion Few young injection drug users have be en immunized even though they have more frequent contact with medical provi ders and are at a higher risk for new hepatitis B infection than older drug users. Clinicians caring for young injection drug users and others at high risk of infection should provide education, screening, and vaccination to reduce an important source of hepatitis B infection.