NCJ Number
180781
Date Published
1998
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Data from an interview survey of 728 male and 321 female drug users in Anchorage, Alaska, who were not in drug treatment were used to develop separate models predicting the risk for gonorrhea infection among female and male drug users.
Abstract
The research used a structured interview called the Risk Behavior Assessment. Participants reported their history of gonorrhea infection; the researchers recorded it as ever or never. The average age was 35.2 years for men and 32.9 years for women. Forty-four percent of the participants were white, 36 percent were black, and 20 percent were American Indians or Alaska Natives. The risk factors for women were trading sex for money, being American Indian or Alaska Native, being homeless, and trading sex for drugs. The risk factors for men were injecting or snorting cocaine, being black, being older, acquiring illegal income from sources other than prostitution, and using amphetamines. Findings are useful for guiding public health intervention and policy development related to drug-using populations in Alaska. Tables and 42 references (Author abstract modified)