Sex Differences in Self-Report of Physical Health by Injection Drug Users

• NCJ Number: 154157
• Journal: International Journal of the Addictions Volume: 29 Issue: 2 Dated: (1994) Pages: 275-283
• Author(s): B K Singh; J J Koman III; J S Williams; V M Catan; K L Souply
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 9 pages
• Contract Number(s): 271-88-8232
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Injection drug users and a subsample containing HIV- positive persons in Laredo, Tex., San Diego, Calif., and San Juan, Puerto Rico provided self-report information that was compared with similar data from the National Opinion Research Center to compare the health of drug abusers with that of the general population.

Abstract

The sample included 541 persons from Laredo, 793 from San Diego, and 334 in San Juan. Participants were recruited through outreach methods and interviewed initially and again 6 months later. They rated their health on a four-point scale. Results revealed that injection drug users do not report their health to be different from that of the general public. Findings also revealed gender differences in perception of health by injection drug users in Laredo and San Diego; previous research has reported sex differences in morbidity and mortality in the population that does not inject drugs. Tables and 4 references (Author abstract modified)