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AIDS and Behavior
Published in: AIDS and Behavior 4/2008

Open Access 01-07-2008 | Original Paper

Implications of Cannabis Use and Heavy Alcohol Use on HIV Drug Risk Behaviors in Russian Heroin Users

Authors: Alexander Y. Walley, Evgeny M. Krupitsky, Debbie M. Cheng, Anita Raj, Erika M. Edwards, Carly Bridden, Valentina Y. Egorova, Edwin E. Zvartau, George E. Woody, Jeffrey H. Samet

Published in: AIDS and Behavior | Issue 4/2008

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Abstract

Cannabis and heavy alcohol use potentially increase HIV transmission by increasing risky drug behaviors. We studied 404 subjects entering treatment for heroin dependence, in St. Petersburg, Russia. We used the HIV Risk Assessment Battery (RAB) drug subscale to measure risky drug behavior. Although all heavy alcohol users had risky drug behaviors, their drug RAB scores did not differ from non-heavy alcohol users in unadjusted or adjusted analyses. Cannabis use was significantly associated with drug RAB scores in unadjusted analyses (mean difference 1.7 points) and analyses adjusted for age, sex, and employment (mean difference 1.3 points). When also adjusting for stimulant use, the impact of cannabis use was attenuated and no longer statistically significant (mean difference 1.1 points). Because of the central role of risky drug behaviors in the Russian HIV epidemic, it is important to understand how the use of multiple substances, including cannabis and alcohol, impacts risky drug behaviors.
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Metadata
Title
Implications of Cannabis Use and Heavy Alcohol Use on HIV Drug Risk Behaviors in Russian Heroin Users
Authors
Alexander Y. Walley
Evgeny M. Krupitsky
Debbie M. Cheng
Anita Raj
Erika M. Edwards
Carly Bridden
Valentina Y. Egorova
Edwin E. Zvartau
George E. Woody
Jeffrey H. Samet
Publication date
01-07-2008
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
AIDS and Behavior / Issue 4/2008
Print ISSN: 1090-7165
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3254
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9243-6

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