HIV Risk Among Older African American/Latino Drug Users

Columbia Univ New York Morningside, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Rates of HIV among adults aged 50 and above increased twice as fast as among the younger population during the 1990's. Over half of AIDS cases reported among men aged 50 and over in 1999 were among African American and Latino men, and over 72 percent of AIDS cases reported among older women during the same period were are among African American and Latino women. The primary modes of HIV transmission among older minority men are injection drug use (IDU) and male to male sex, and heterosexual transmission; and among women, injecting drug use (IDU) and heterosexual transmission. Despite the increasing number of HIV/AIDS cases among older African American and Latino drug users, researchers have not recognized this population as a risk group for HIV transmission. Very little data is available on the sexual and drug risk behaviors among this population. The proposed study will utilize focus groups and in-depth interviews to Investigate HIV risk behaviors among older African American and Latino drug users. Specifically, this study will examine the (1) perceptions of HIV risks, (2) drug related HIV risk behaviors, (3) sexual HIV risk behaviors, (4) contextual and interpersonal factors such as culture, gender, socio-economic conditions, and social networks, which accelerate or prevent drug and sexual risk behavior, and (5) types of formal and informal support that are utilized by older African American and Latino men and women regarding concerns related to high risk drug and sexual behavior. In the first six months of Year 1, 48 African American and Latino men and women age 50 and over in addiction programs will participate in focus groups that are stratified by ethnicity and gender. An additional 48 men and women of the same age cohort will be recruited to participate in in-depth narrative interviews. Participants will be recruited from St. Barnabas Hospital Department of Addiction Medicine. Investigators from the Social Intervention Group (SIG) at Columbia University School of Social Work will lead the study in consultation with St. Barnabas Hospital. Findings will increase understanding of the contextual factors that may explain drug and sex related HIV risk behaviors among older African American and Latino men and women. Findings will inform intervention and prevention treatment protocols for older African American and Latino drug users.