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Characteristics of injection drug users who utilize tuberculosis services at sites of the baltimore city needle exchange program

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Abstract

Objective

To describe characteristics of needle-exchange program (NEP) participants who utilized tuberculosis services from an NEP site.

Methods

Between June 1998 and May 1999, tuberculosis services were advertised and offered to Baltimore, Maryland, NEP participants. Demographic and tuberculosis-specific data were collected on participants who self-selected into services. Analyses were based on being tuberculin skin tested, returning for a skin test reading, and testing tuberculin positive.

Results

Among 691 contacts with NEP participants, this service performed 296 tuberculin tests, with an 84% return rate for skin test reading. Participants were 32% female, 87% African American, and 11% employed. Higher frequency of NEP visits was positively associated with requesting tuberculosis services and returning for skin test reading. Among those who returned for skin test reading, longer smoking duration and problems getting food in the past year due to a lack of money were associated with a positive test.

Conclusions

Utilization of a tuberculosis service and high return rates can be achieved among NEP participants without formal recruitment strategies. Frequent exchange appears to facilitate return visits for NEP-based tuberculosis screening, which may imply accessibility for frequent exchangers. More extensive health services at sites of the Baltimore NEP appear to be warranted, with particular attention paid to effectiveness for frequent exchangers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California at San Francisco, 424 North Bond Street, 21231-1001, San Francisco

    Elise D. Riley

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 424 North Bond Street, 21231-1001, Baltimore, Maryland

    David Vlahov,  Steven Huettner,  Margaret Bonds &  Richard E. Chaisson

  3. Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies, the New York Academy of Medicine, 424 North Bond Street, 21231-1001, New York, New York

    David Vlahov

  4. Baltimore City Health Department, 424 North Bond Street, 21231-1001, Baltimore, Maryland

    Peter Beilenson

  5. Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 424 North Bond Street, 21231-1001, Baltimore, Maryland

    Richard E. Chaisson

Authors
  1. Elise D. Riley
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  2. David Vlahov
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  3. Steven Huettner
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  4. Peter Beilenson
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  5. Margaret Bonds
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  6. Richard E. Chaisson
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Correspondence to Richard E. Chaisson.

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Riley, E.D., Vlahov, D., Huettner, S. et al. Characteristics of injection drug users who utilize tuberculosis services at sites of the baltimore city needle exchange program. J Urban Health 79, 113–127 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1093/jurban/79.1.113

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