NCJ Number
165266
Journal
Substance Use and Misuse Volume: 31 Issue: 9 Dated: (1996) Pages: 1167-1187
Date Published
1996
Length
21 pages
Annotation
Data from 106 Los Angeles youth who injected drugs were analyzed to determine the drug use histories, injection drug use behaviors, and needle-sharing practices of these drug users.
Abstract
The participants were ages 16-24 and had injected an illicit drug during the 30 days prior to the interviews. Seventy percent of the participants were recruited at natural street hangout locations in Hollywood, 25 percent were recruited using snowball sampling, and 5 percent were referred by youth shelter and drop-in service centers or by street outreach workers. The youths took part in structured interviews lasting 15-20 minutes each. Interviewers then rated the validity of participants' responses on a 3-item Likert scale. Results revealed high rates of injection drug use and needle sharing, indicating that these youths are at particularly high risk for HIV infection. Findings suggest a need for outreach services tailored to the unique needs of adolescents who inject drugs. Tables, instrument, and 49 references (Author abstract modified)